The earlier "choice" model (which originated during the late 18th century with the work of Cesare Beccaria) that was formulated to guide situational prevention efforts, has more recently been developed into a "rational choice" perspective on crime" (Clarke and Cornish (1985) cited in Clarke (1997)). The rational choice theory "adopts a utilitarian belief that man is a reasoning actor who weighs means and ends, costs and benefits, and makes a rational choice. It is assumed that crime is purposive behaviour designed to meet the offenders needs for things such as money, status and sex. Meeting these needs involves the making of (sometimes quite rudimentary) decisions and choices"(Clarke,1997,p10). Cohen ((1996) in Walsh and Hemmens (2011)) accuses
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Such approaches assume that individuals are not troubled by any conflict in their internal or external worlds (Gadd and Jefferson, 2007).Understanding a criminals as a pure social construction places society above the individual when explaining the problem of crime. An example of this is the Strain theory, (developed in 1957 by Robert Merton) which states that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals (such as the American dream). In order to achieve these goals, society has created several institutionalized means- such as education and work. Merton argues that the problem arises when the desire to achieve a goal overshadows the importance of abiding by institutional norms. Crime is therefore the result of individuals being more interested in achieving societal goals, than in respecting the law (Merton, 1938). The "primary aim of this theory lies in discovering how social structures exert a definite pressure upon persons in society to engage in nonconformist conduct" (Merton, 1938, p672). Burke (2014) argues that the theory focuses too much on the role of the individual within social structures rather than on personality characteristics of the offender. Robert Agnew recognised the importance of understanding criminals on a primary level. He argued that individual emotions, not societal goals, play an important part in an individual's decision making process. Agnew stated that negative relationships with other individuals produced negative emotions such as anger, and hatred. The strain or frustration resulting from these emotions leads one to commit crime (Agnew, 1992). This modification of the strain theory takes the focus away from societal strain and attempts to better understand strain caused by individual emotions. Emotions are pivotal in understanding an offenders motivation behind committing a crime, once this is
Such approaches assume that individuals are not troubled by any conflict in their internal or external worlds (Gadd and Jefferson, 2007).Understanding a criminals as a pure social construction places society above the individual when explaining the problem of crime. An example of this is the Strain theory, (developed in 1957 by Robert Merton) which states that society puts pressure on individuals to achieve socially accepted goals (such as the American dream). In order to achieve these goals, society has created several institutionalized means- such as education and work. Merton argues that the problem arises when the desire to achieve a goal overshadows the importance of abiding by institutional norms. Crime is therefore the result of individuals being more interested in achieving societal goals, than in respecting the law (Merton, 1938). The "primary aim of this theory lies in discovering how social structures exert a definite pressure upon persons in society to engage in nonconformist conduct" (Merton, 1938, p672). Burke (2014) argues that the theory focuses too much on the role of the individual within social structures rather than on personality characteristics of the offender. Robert Agnew recognised the importance of understanding criminals on a primary level. He argued that individual emotions, not societal goals, play an important part in an individual's decision making process. Agnew stated that negative relationships with other individuals produced negative emotions such as anger, and hatred. The strain or frustration resulting from these emotions leads one to commit crime (Agnew, 1992). This modification of the strain theory takes the focus away from societal strain and attempts to better understand strain caused by individual emotions. Emotions are pivotal in understanding an offenders motivation behind committing a crime, once this is