Environmental Theory continued

Sutherland and Cressey suggest that cultural behaviour is shaped by those around them. This is known as differential association. If people who live in a socially disorganized urban area frequently associate with people who make their living from crime, then the choice to pursue a criminal career may not be a difficult option. Marshall suggest that zones of transition make up of sink estates and deteriorating inner city areas can be spotted in UK cities. They argue that these areas lack any sense of community spirit or social control. As a result, some people feel free to commit crime at will. Such disorganisation is reinforced by the state’s failure to address social problems such…