Criminal behavior is learned in the same way as any other behavior. Differential association is one of the leading reasons why people chose to do such criminal acts. For example, the lady in the video who was influenced by her peers to commit a senseless act of crime which has now landed her in prison for 28 years. According to the differential association theory, her age at the time of the crime (16) had a major effect on how she became involved with the robbery. The Differential association theory suggests that younger people are easier to influence than older people therefore that is one of the reasons why she went along with the robbery. The ratio of her likeliness to say "yes" to be apart of the crime also increases because of her age. The Differential association theory also suggests that young people are vulnerable and more susceptible to be involved in crimes that their peers are conducting. The intensity of the relationship (boyfriend/girlfriend) also played a major role in her involvement with the crime. She was probably more willing to corporate with her boyfriend because he was just that. If he would have been her friend from elementary school and they just happened to bump into each other and he asked her to be apart of the crime she would have said no. the intensity of the two participating parties" relationship also played a major role in how the crime was played out. People are more willing to risk things when it comes to the people you love and care about.
The way she was raised also had something to do with why she did not use her best judgment in this situation. She was molested by her dad, her mom beat her up, and she was into prostitution. That is a hard life lived. To her, the life she was living was normal because that was the only life she had known to live, so she was in a state of confusion because her social norms were very weak. All of the drama in her life probably desensitized her and that is why she proceeded to be involved in the crime.
