Techniques of Neutralization

Running head : TECHNIQUES OF NEUTRALIZATION

Techniques of Neutralization

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Techniques of Neutralization

Throughout the development of criminology , the roots and reasons of deviance had been the topic of the hottest scholarly interest . Dozens of criminological and sociological theories had been developed , to explain what pushes individuals to commit crimes and engage in acts of deviance In their article , Gresham M . Sykes and David Matza (1957 ) provide an interesting review of neutralization techniques , which individuals use in their striving to justify the acts

of crime

The authors recognize that the current state of criminology no longer considers crime and deviance as devils in the mind or stigma of the body (Sykes Matza , 1957 . Rather , crime and deviance are learned in the process of social interaction and occur through (a ) learning the techniques of crime and (b ) learning of motives and rationalizations favorable to the violation of law (Sykes Matza , 1957 . Contrary to previous beliefs , delinquents can experience the feeling of shame perceive admiration and respect to law-abiding persons , draw a sharp line between those who can be victimized and those who cannot , and are not totally immune from the demands of conformity (Sykes Matza , 1957

Sykes and Matza (1957 ) write that criminals apply to a number of neutralization techniques , which help them avoid moral tortures for their deviant actions . These neutralization techniques include the denial of responsibility (when the delinquent defines himself as lacking responsibility for his actions , the denial of injury (the belief that...