Murder Rational Choice Theory

The index crime I have chosen for this paper is murder. The theory I believe that best defines why people commit murder is the rational choice theory. The rational choice theory implies that people who commit this offense know that killing is wrong and that a punishment may follow if they are caught. They are fully aware of what they are doing and they deliberately plan and successfully murders someone. A perfect example of this theory is a serial killer, especially those that kill for the excitement of it.

In regards to most murder cases, a person usually kills while in a state of anger or to get revenge on another. Examples include an angry spouse who has just caught their partner cheating, a teenager acting out because they feel they

have been labeled as an outcast amongst their peers, or a person who was recently fired from a job. On the other hand, some people commit murder because of gang violence, and others do it for the thrill. Regardless of why they kill, they are aware all aware that what they did was wrong.

The Death Penalty Information center (DPIC) provides statistics of murder from all of the states.
The center reports that in 2014, the murder rates in North Carolina were 5.1 per 100,000. Nationwide North Carolina ranks number sixteen out of all of the states in reference to murder. South Carolina’s ranks higher in murder rates than North Carolina. According to the DPIC, South Carolina’s murder rate is 6.4 per 100,000 citizens. In reference to murder rates Nationwide, South Carolina is number 4.

Although murder is a serious and heinous crime, it is important to remember that there are some cases in which people have to kill another person in order to save the life of either themselves or their loved ones. None the less, it is still considered to be murder. The textbooks definition of murder is the willful and non-negligent killing of one human being by another (Vito, 2007). A perfectly, fitting description that encompasses all that kill.

The personality theory is one that is poorly written in reference to helping understanding murder. The personality theory is a division of psychology which seeks to develop a scientifically defensible view of human nature (Free Dictionary, 2003). Basically, the theory implies that crime can be prophesied by detecting the characteristics of the way people behave. If this theory was actually implemented by the justice system there would be a lot of people who would be accused or incarcerated for a crime based off of their behavior.