Influence of Level of Education on the Type of Crime

• In Event: Poster Session II

Abstract

In Sutherland and Cressey (1979)’s differential association theory, criminal behavior is, like any other type of behavior, an acquired behavior by learning, interaction, and communication with other people. This study tries to see whether the thought process of choosing a specific crime type would be different based on the offender’s education throughout life and whether that education plays an important role in the decision process to engage in criminal activity. Therefore, my research question considers how education influences one’s decision about which crime to commit. The data used in this study is “National Corrections Reporting Program (NCRP), 1991-2014”. This research will generate meaningful insights about how an offender’s highest education level shapes his procriminal attitudes and antisocial personality. The findings from this study will help criminal justice professionals discover the patterns between education level and crime type and, for correctional professionals, this will help to determine how to deliver the right correctional programs based on responsivity, especially regarding education level.

Author

• Doyun Koo, University of Cincinnati