Leon has recently been convicted of a series of burglaries. He grew up in a household where his father and older brothers regularly planned and committed break-ins, teaching him how to bypass alarm systems and identify valuable items. Leon feels that burglary is a 'victimless crime' because 'wealthy homeowners can easily afford to replace their items through insurance.' He also admits that when he sees people looking at him in the street, he assumes they are 'judging him and looking for a fight,' which often leads to him reacting aggressively.
Discuss cognitive and differential association theory explanations of offending behaviour. Refer to Leon in your answer.
28 exam-style questions on AQA A Level Psychology Psychological explanations of offending. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.