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Strengths and Weaknesses in Rational Choice Theory
Situational crime prevention
Define and explain “rational choice theory”as discussed in the required text by Schmalleger
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There is an attempt in criminology to find an all-encompassing theory of crime in order to develop a more scientific approach to crime. This means that a universal theory of crime must be devised. This would give criminology the status of science. Thus, criminology has borrowed and further developed the concept of rational choice from the areas of economics and sociology as a background theory for situational crime prevention (Clarke, 1992). This of course, has sparked a debate among criminologists as to whether rational choice offers a complete explanation of all kinds of crime or its validity is reduced when dealing with crimes of anger, hostility and excitement (Farrell, 2010).
The argument goes, according to the rational choice perspective following this theory, that crime committers are seen as rational decision makers who make the choice of making a crime after rationally balancing the cost-benefit analysis of this crime. According to this perspective, there is no crime in which reason, choice and purpose play an insignificant role (Cornish and Clarke, 2006). Although situational crime prevention has received a lot of criticism, its popularity with governments is such that the theory has resulted in techniques of situational crime prevention becoming important tools of security management. In fact, Cornish and Clarke (2003) presented 25 techniques of their earlier model. This revised alternative version maintained the four categories and partly accepted Wortley‘s comments (1997, as cited in Cornish and Clarke, 2003). However, although the provoked offender may commit the crime by triggers in the environment, he is still influenced by rational decision making before committing a crime. There is no doubt that some of the deci...
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.... Morgan, and R. Reiner (eds) The Oxford Handbook of Criminology, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 866-909.
Farrell, G. (2010) ‘Situational Crime Prevention and Its Discontents: Rational Choice and Harm Reduction versus ‘Cultural Criminology” Social Policy and Administration 44(1): 40-66.
Farrell, G. and Pease, K. Criminology and Security, as cited in the handbook of Security, edited by Martin Gill 2006.
Forrest, R. and Kennett, P. (1997) ‘Risk, Residence and the Post-Fordist City,’ American Behavioral Scientist, 41: 342-59.
Goldstein, H. (1979) ‘Improving Policing: A Problem Oriented Approach,’ Crime and Delinquency, 25: 236-58.
Goldstein, H. (1990) Problem Oriented Policing. New York: McGraw Hill.
Hayward, K. (2007) ‘Situational Crime Prevention and its Discontents: Rational Choice Theory versus the ‘Culture of Now’’ Social Policy & Administration 41(3): 232-250.
Akers, R, & Sellers, C. (2009). Criminological theories: introduction, evaluation, and application. New York: Oxford University Press, USA.
Crime causation is looking at why people commit crimes. There are many theories that have been developed to explain this. The theories can be grouped into eight general categories of which one is the Classical theory (Schmallegar, 2011, p. 79). A subset of this theory, rational choice theory, will be specifically looked at to explain the crime of burglary. Just as no one causation theory explains all crimes committed, the rational choice theory itself does not completely explain why all burglars commit their crimes. Therefore, the pros and cons of the rational choice theory will be discussed in relation to the crime topic of burglary.
Young, J. (1981). Thinking seriously about crime: Some models of criminology. In M. Fitzgerald, G. McLennan, & J. Pawson (Eds.), Crime and society: Readings in history and society (pp. 248-309). London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
The study of criminology involves many different theories in which people attempt to explain reasoning behind criminal behavior. Although there are many different theories the focus of this paper is the comparison and contrasting sides of The Differential Association Theory (DAT) of Edwin Sutherland and the Neoclassicism Rational Choice Theory. The Differential Theory falls under Social Process Theories which focuses on sociological perspective of crime. The Rational Choice Theory falls under Neoclassicism which believes that criminal behavior is ultimately a choice.
Schmalleger, Frank. Criminology: A Brief Introduction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., Publishing as Prentice Hall., 2011.
There are different principles that makeup the crime control model. For example, guilt implied, legal controls minimal, system designed to aid police, and Crime fighting is key. However one fundamental principle that has been noted is that ‘the repression of criminal conduct is by far the most important function to be performed by the criminal processes’. (Packer, 1998, p. 4). This is very important, because it gives individuals a sense of safety. Without this claim the public trust within the criminal justice process would be very little. The general belief of the public is that those that are seen as a threat to society, as well as those that fails to conform to society norms and values should be separated from the rest of society, from individuals who choose to participate fully in society. Consequently, the crime control model pro...
Muncie, J., and Mclaughin, E. (1996) The Problem of Crime. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publication Ltd.
Sherman, L., Gottfredson, D., MacKenzie, D., Eck, J., Reuter, P., & Bushway, S. (1998). Preventing Crime: What Works, What Doesn't, What's Promising in Brief, Report to the United States Congress. National Institute of Justice.
Ronald V Clarke originally developed the idea of situational crime prevention in the 1980’s (Brantingham & Brantingham 2005). This particular crime prevention theory addresses techniques that increase the effort required to commit the crime, increase the risks involved with committing the crime, reducing the reward gained by the offender after committing the crime, reducing the provocation between the offender and others and remove excuses (Brantingham & Brantingham 2005). Majority of crime is believed to be committed because there are no high risks of being caught and the rewards outweigh the risks (Brantingham & Brantingham 2005). Increasing the effort by controlling access to locations and target hardening can deflect many offenders, as more effort is needed to commit the crime (Brantingham & Brantingham 2005). Another main technique would be to increase the risks; this may be achieved by extending guardianship, creating natural surveillance or artificial surveillance such as CCTV (Brantingham & Brantingham 2005).
Conscious efforts to critique existing approaches to questions of crime and justice, demystify concepts and issues that are laden with political and ideological baggage, situate debates about crime control within a socio-historical context, and facilitate the imagination and exploration of alternative ways of thinking and acting in relation to crime and justice. (p. 3).
Crime exists everywhere. It is exists in our country, in the big cities, the small towns, schools, and even in homes. Crime is defined as “any action that is a violation of law”. These violations may be pending, but in order to at least lower the crime rate, an understanding of why the crimes are committed must first be sought. There are many theories that are able to explain crimes, but three very important ones are rational choice theory, social disorganization theory and strain theory.
Criminology is the study of crime and criminals; a branch of sociology. More accurately, it is the study of crime as a social trend, and its overall origins, its many manifestations and its impact upon society as a whole. That makes it more a form of sociology than a law enforcement tool. But the trends it studies have a huge impact on the way the police do their jobs, the way society treats its criminals, and the way a given community goes about maintaining law and order. The writer will describe and give examples of the three perspectives of viewing crimes. The perspectives that will be highlighted are the consensus view, the conflict view or the interactionist view. Each perspective maintain its own interpretation of what constitutes criminal activities and what causes people to engage in criminal behaviors (Siegel, p.12).
There are many roles that the NSW Police Force executes in their line of duty, although Crime Prevention is the key and most important role. Crime Prevention is a set of ideas and causes that intervene with the reduction of criminal events and their consequences (Lab 2010). Advancements in sociology and psychological studies in the 20th century have changed the effectiveness and understanding of the aspects of crime and criminal behaviour. The Crime Prevention Model looks at three main areas of intervention that combat crime at its stages of developing; primary, secondary and tertiary. The primary prevention of crime “identifies conditions of the physical and social environment that provide opportunities for or precipitate criminal acts” (Brantingham
The rational choice theory stems from the classical theories of the causation of crime and holds that criminal behavior is a result of free will by rational human beings. In this theory punitive measures associated with a particular crime play a direct role in whether or not a subject will commit an offense (Ahmad, & Emeka, 2013). Although rational choice theorists consider a criminal’s social environment, the primary responsibility for the commission of crime lies with the
Offenders choose to take advantage of limited crime opportunities where crime is low risk, easy, rewarding, socially encouraged or provoked (Clarke, 2008). By facilitating these criteria, a particular place can impact the likelihood of such criminal events taking place. Properly identifying the many circumstances that can influence criminal decision making in a problem area is imperative to successful analyses and eventual mitigation of crime problems.