“A surge in killings has moved Hamilton up to the fifth highest murder rated metropolitan area in Canada as of 2013” (The Hamilton Spectator 2014). According to Statistics Canada, there were 15 homicides in Hamilton that year (Statistics Canada 2013). One of the 15 murders in the Hamilton area was that of an Ancaster man by the name of Tim Bosma. Mr. Bosma was murdered on May 6th, 2013 during a test drive of his truck by Dellen Millard and Mark Smich after his truck was offered for sale on Kijiji. Many biological, psychological and sociological theories of crime could be applied to explain the desire to commit murder but in this case, Social Learning Theory and Rational Choice Theory offer the best rationalization (O’Grady 2014, 81-83, 99).
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This approach theorizes that “aggressive behavior is learned through a series of psychological thought processes and perceptions” (O’Grady 2014, 81-83). One of the main points supported by researchers is that “violent messages that children might view on television may be associated with hostility in children” (O’Grady 2014, 81-83). This theory posits that videogames, television, and other sources of media have a tremendous effect on a youth’s perception of crime. Consequently, Social Learning Theory can be used to illuminate many types of crime, including, murder. The First-degree murder of Bosma by Millard and Smich can be at least partially explained by Social Learning Theory due to both perpetrators upbringing and exposure to violent social media throughout their lives. Many aspects of Bosma’s ultimate murder may be linked to the violent crime movies and videogames prevalent in the media today. The plan to pose as perspective buyers to steal and kill the owner of a truck is likely a plan that could very well be depicted in the movies or videogames of today. The media to which Smich and Millard were exposed throughout their lives could have easily influenced how they planned the murder of Tim Bosma. Games like Grand Theft Auto are notorious for promoting murder, theft and other …show more content…
Both theories provide reasonable explanations as to why the murder was committed, only from two different standpoints. Social Learning Theory illustrates how a criminal’s past or social life might influence a crime they have committed, while Rational Choice Theory embodies the reason a criminal might choose to commit an offence and the way that they might consciously rationalize the decision to go through with it. These theories both outline how a criminal analyzes a situation, and describes how crime is understood from a criminal’s perspective and finally how they might piece together each detail in order to make the conscious decision to commit a criminal offence.
Through examination of the Social Learning and Rational Choice Theories of crime we can speculate why Dellen Millard and Mark Smich committed such a senseless act of murder. The theories explained how the criminals came to make the conscious decision they did, and how their upbringing influenced them to commit a heinous crime. The onslaught and brutality of the murder was learned and rationalized through social experience and conscious decision making. Ultimately as Little suggests “Murder is an inherently evil act, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how convincing the rationalizations” (Little
This approach theorizes that “aggressive behavior is learned through a series of psychological thought processes and perceptions” (O’Grady 2014, 81-83). One of the main points supported by researchers is that “violent messages that children might view on television may be associated with hostility in children” (O’Grady 2014, 81-83). This theory posits that videogames, television, and other sources of media have a tremendous effect on a youth’s perception of crime. Consequently, Social Learning Theory can be used to illuminate many types of crime, including, murder. The First-degree murder of Bosma by Millard and Smich can be at least partially explained by Social Learning Theory due to both perpetrators upbringing and exposure to violent social media throughout their lives. Many aspects of Bosma’s ultimate murder may be linked to the violent crime movies and videogames prevalent in the media today. The plan to pose as perspective buyers to steal and kill the owner of a truck is likely a plan that could very well be depicted in the movies or videogames of today. The media to which Smich and Millard were exposed throughout their lives could have easily influenced how they planned the murder of Tim Bosma. Games like Grand Theft Auto are notorious for promoting murder, theft and other …show more content…
Both theories provide reasonable explanations as to why the murder was committed, only from two different standpoints. Social Learning Theory illustrates how a criminal’s past or social life might influence a crime they have committed, while Rational Choice Theory embodies the reason a criminal might choose to commit an offence and the way that they might consciously rationalize the decision to go through with it. These theories both outline how a criminal analyzes a situation, and describes how crime is understood from a criminal’s perspective and finally how they might piece together each detail in order to make the conscious decision to commit a criminal offence.
Through examination of the Social Learning and Rational Choice Theories of crime we can speculate why Dellen Millard and Mark Smich committed such a senseless act of murder. The theories explained how the criminals came to make the conscious decision they did, and how their upbringing influenced them to commit a heinous crime. The onslaught and brutality of the murder was learned and rationalized through social experience and conscious decision making. Ultimately as Little suggests “Murder is an inherently evil act, no matter what the circumstances, no matter how convincing the rationalizations” (Little