Routine Activities Theory

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According to the FBI latest crime statistics, there were an estimated 1,165,383 violent crimes (murder and non-negligent homicides, rapes, robberies, and aggravated assaults) reported by law enforcement. These crime statistics have a significant meaning to the community because it helps people understand how much crime occurs in their neighborhoods. Robbery, one of the crimes listed, is a popular crime to commit if a person needs fast cash. Robbery is the taking of or attempting to take anything of value from care, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence or by putting the victim in fear (Schmalleger, 2015). Robbery is considered a part one crime since the offender uses force to execute his/her crime. …show more content…
There is always a reason why people commit crimes. Robbery and the routine activities theory correlated and can explain why people become victims of robbery. In 1979, Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson started the idea of the routine activities theory, also referred as the lifestyle theory. The routine activities theory suggest that lifestyles contribute significantly to both the volume and the type of crime found in any society (Schmalleger, 2015). This theory explains offender’s behavior and victimization. Robbery and the routine activities theory show a relationship because motivated robbers pay attention to one’s routine to carry out their plans. For instance, a person who is planning on robbing a bank has to go to the bank every day and pay attention to the operations of the bank. The motivated offender watches out for the security’s schedule, such as when the security guard arrives to start their shift, when they take occasional breaks and when they leave work. The planner must look out for common behaviors of the bank tellers and find an escape route. With this intention, the motivated offender could keep their eye on a bank for months before they finally commit the robbery. In order to execute the robbery successfully is by knowing the ins and outs of the bank and paying attention to the routine …show more content…
Robbers select their targets based on what they know or observed about that person. This is when the rational choice theory contributes to the routine activities theory. A criminal has a battle with themselves about the cost and benefits of committing a crime. When they select their target, they must analyze what will the cost and benefit be if they decide to commit the robber. For example, a motivated robber will pay attention to the potential victim’s materialistic items such as clothing, shoes, and car to consider if they are a decent candidate to victimize. Next, the robber must make note of if there are any neighbors, local authority around, or bystanders that will be of assistance of the victim. The robber will now see if it really worth the predatory behavior. They will ask themselves, “is what I want from this person worth it,” or what will happen if I get caught.” And finally, the robbery makes their move. To prevent this issue, it is recommended that a person switch of their routine. People become victims of robbery when they do not switch up their

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