According to Edwin Sutherland, criminology is the study of crime as a social phenomenon through various principles. Sutherland believed that criminal behavior is a product of normal learning through social interaction, and he developed the differential association theory of crime to explain this. This theory suggests that crime is a way of life derived from a persons attachment to groups for whom criminal acts are a measure of success and a way of life. Sutherland also applied this theory to criminal behavior within occupational groups, which is known as white-collar crime.

Sutherlands work was inspired by strong moral concerns and a sense of the needs of society for social order. He believed that sources of crime are in the association and interaction of specific groups of people, rather than in economic influences. Sutherlands differential association theory has been the preeminent sociological theory of criminology for nearly 50 years, largely because it is centered in the concepts of sociology.

Sutherlands book "Criminology" is considered one of the most influential works in the history of the discipline. He is also known for his other publications, including "Principles of Criminology" and "White Collar Crime". Sutherlands contributions to criminology have earned him numerous honors, including being considered one of the most influential criminologists of the 20th century.