Criminology: Choice Thoery

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rational choice theory

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crime is a function of decision making where costs and benefits are weighed
-cesare beccaria

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concepts of rational choice

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offenders choose crime after considering personal factors and situational factors

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evaluating risks of crime:rational choice

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reasoning criminals select targets systematically. Burglars choose targets on basis of value and resale.
decision to forgo crime that is outwaighing is:
-chance of being caught, fear punishment,losing respect of peers, risk of apprehension.

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offense specific crime

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a crime where offender react selectively to characteristic of particular criminal act.
offense: probability of security devices

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offender specific crime

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crime where offedners evaluate skills motives and needs to commit act,
offender: physical ability, available resources

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structuring criminality: personal traits and experience

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know when to take a chance and when to be cautious, may turn away crime when believe risk of crime is greater than potential profit.

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structuring crime includes

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choosing place, and targes

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is crime rational

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theft rational? yes
drug rational? can be
violence rational? yes as they can select victims and place of business

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why do people commit crime?

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edgework: excitement, exhilaration of succesfully executing illegl activities in dangerous situations.
seductions of crime:immediate benefits that draw offenders into law violation

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controlling crime

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potential offenders that crime crime is a poor choice and will bring them no reward but pain, hardship and deprivation.
street smart offenders: 1) calculate potential success of committing crime2) select target based on risk assessment 3)choose not to commit crime if disadvantages are higher chance

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controlling crime: situational preventions

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method of crime prevention that seeks to eliminate or reduce particular crimes in specific settings. criminal acts are avoided if: 1) targets are guarded 2) means to commit crime are contrlled 3) potential offenders are carefully monitored
defenisble space:modify physical environment to reduce opportunity of crime

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crime prevention strategies

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increase effort to commit crime
increase risk of comiiting crime..crime discourages: guardians of people or property.
reduce rewards of crime
induce guilt:increase shame... make people aware of shamfulness of actvities
reduce provecation: introduce programs that reduce conflict (road rage)
remove excuses: eg didnt know how fast i was going when speeding (speedo)

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costs and benefits of situational crime prevention

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hidden benefits:diffusion: effort to prevent one crime unintentionally prevents another. discouragement: crime control of particualr area and population.

hidden costs: displacement: simply move or redirect offenders to alternative targets. extinction: crime reduction produce short term possitive effect but criminals asjust (learn to dismantle alarms) replacement: criminals try new offenses because one of choice is neautralised,"", (houses all install alarms so they turn to armed robbery)

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general deterrence

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-becarrias theory.. people will violate law if they do not fear consequences
- a crime control policy that depends on fear of criminal penalties, convince potential law violators that pain assoicated with crime will outweigh benefits,
- the greater the severity, certainty and speed of legal sanctions, the lower the crime rate

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general deterrence: pereception and deterrence

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main theme of deterrence theory is that people who perceive that they will be punished for crims will avoid doing the crime, conversely, likelihood of being arrested of imprisoned will have little effect on crime rates

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general deterrence: certainty of punishment

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if the certainty of arrest, conviction and sanctions increase, crime rate declines.

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general deterrence: swiftness of punishment

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celerity of pusnishment, the closer the link can be to the crime and serves the correct purpose of being a deterrent
interrelationship of factors: factors of severity, certainty and speed of punishment influence each oher.

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critique of general deterrence

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rationality: deterrence theory assumes rational offender who weighs costs and benefits of criminal act before deciding on course of action.
system effectiveness: beccarias theory of severity, certain and speed.

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specific deterrence

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the view that criminal sanctions should be so powerful that known criminals will never repeat criminal acts

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incarceration

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confine in jail or prison

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recidivism

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repetition of criminal behaviour

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how is harsher treatment increase rather than reduce crime?

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-breed defiance rather than deterrence (people show the system cant break them)
-stigma of harsh treatment labels people and helps lock offenders into criminal career instead of avoiding one

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incapacitation effect

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view that placing offedners behind bars during prime crime years reduces opportunity to commit crime and reduces crime rates.

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can incapacitation reduce crime?

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little eveidence that incapacitation will deter from future crime
-exposes young offenders to higher rsisks
-incapacitation is expensive
-16% of prisoners are over 50

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policy implications of choice theory

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-3 strikes and you're out in america rule..
-most 3 strike losers are already aging out ofcrime
-death penalty

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describe development of rational choice theory

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- roots in classical school of criminology (beccarria)
becker applied his own views... james wilson implied people are likely to commit crime when dont fear consequences, have low coformity and willing o take greater chance than average person

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concept of rational choice

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law violating behaviour is product of careful thought and planning, people who commit crime believe that rewards outweigh the risks. criminals select targetsm and behaviour is selective and systematic,

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rational choice theorists believe that

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crime is both offense specific and offender specific

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how offenders structure criminality

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consider needs and capabilities before committing crimes.. judge their ned for money and personal expereinces before committing crims and learn techniques to avoid detection while making profits

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how do criminals structure crime?

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carefully choose where they will commit the crime, how the locate their targets.

rational choice may be found in ways criminals locate their targets, it invovles shaping criminality and structuing crime. if a target appears dangerous, criminals will choose a diff target.

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evidence that crime is rational

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theft: crimes are product of careful risk assessment.
target selection is highly rational.
drug use is rational. (they outweight costs and benefits)
violent crime is rational.. targets are someitmes chosen to send messages rathe thn generate capital.

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seductions of crime

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choosing crime can be seductive and pleasant. it can satisfy personal needs. even murder.

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situational crime prevention

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locking gates etc.

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general deterrence

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crime can be controlled by increasing real or perceived threat of criminal punishment. if certainty of arrest, convicrtion and sanctions exist.. crime rates will decrease.

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deterrence theory

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criminality is affected not only by chance of punishment but perception that one is likely to be punished. .. detterrence theory believes people who believe they will be punished for crime will avoid crime. sever punishment will also bring crime rate down and the more rapid it is the more likely it is linked to crime.

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specific deterence

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criminal sanction should be so powerful that criminals never repeat criminal act.. however there is no clear cut evidence that punishment deters future crimes. they may want to show defiance.

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pros and cons of incapacitation

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-more criminals sent to prison,"",. crime rates should go down. howeverthere is little evidence that deters the future crime, as they may make more crime when releasedd..