Aker’s social learning theory is a theory that underscores crime causation and prevention, and it comprises of four major elements including differential association, individual perception of a behavior, differential reinforcement and imitation. The behavioral intervention policy is the most appropriate social learning theory original policy, which can reduce crime. The policy enhances the reduction of crime given that the behavioral intervention is subject to the theory’s elements.
Differential association entails an individual’s interaction with people of different background and identifying role model from among the people of his social circles. Consequently, an individual adopts the values, ideologies, attitudes and behaviors of the role models. The value an individual attaches to a particular behavior determines the individual’s adoption or abandonment of the behavior. The process of differential reinforcement entails the balancing of the rewards and the benefits of adopting a certain pattern of behavior, which underscores the reward system concept. The imitation of the role model’s behavior is the ultimate stage of the social learning theory.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
As a behavioral intervention policy, positive reinforcement strongly relates to the social learning theory in terms of its views on crime and crime reduction. The policy is based on a reward system whereby any good behavior is rewarded, with negative behaviors being punished. In this case, the positive reinforcement policy will reduce crime because the commendation of good behavior will definitely encourage positive social action, hence causing the subsequent abandonment of bad behavior. For instance, the reward of a people who would have had no criminal records within certain periods of time should ideally discourage them from engaging in mundane, criminal acts. Culpable criminals will on the other hand feel encouraged to undertake behavioral reformation in view of gaining these rewards.
