Sutherland was interested in explaining why the elderly were not involved in criminal activity how criminal values and attitudes could be culturally transmitted from one generation to another

Sutherland was interested in explaining how criminal values and attitudes could be culturally transmitted from one generation to another.
He wanted to see how people actually became criminals. His findings showed that close contact between people plays a large role in them adopting criminal thoughts and actions - if your parents are criminals, chances are that you are also going to be because you were 'taught' that lifestyle.