Self Control Theory Vs Routine Activity Theory

In this essay the two criminolgy theories that will be compared and contrasted is the Self- Control theory and the Routine Activity theory. These are two extremely well known and popular theories in the field of criminology today. The Self- Control theory refers to the lack of self-control a person or offender has which can lead that person to commit different crimes. Offenders will commit crimes without even thinking about the consequences. The Routine Activity theory refers to the fact that daily activities or routines people have create perfect chances for crimes to be commited against them and their property. Offenders in this case will take full advantage of people 's daily routines to commit crimes of opportunities. The Self-Control …show more content…
The Routine Activity theory differs from the Self-Control on the fact that it focuses on how exactly criminal events happen.
It does not explain why an offender is motivated to commit crimes. The Self-Control theory focuses on why people commit crimes and their motivations to commit certain crimes. Another difference in the two theories is the type of crime that is committed. The Routine Activity theory deals with crimes of opportunities and perfect chances. The Self-Control theory deals with crime of passion or impulsiveness. So, both theories deal with crime that happens for different reasons. The
Routine Activity theory also deals with offenders who plan out their crimes. They take time to plan and think about what they are doing. Self-Control theory deals with offenders who act on a whim. They usually do not plan out their crimes. They only commit crimes when they want something at that exact moment. So, the Self-Control theory and the Routine Activity have many things in common and also have many differences. The Self-Control theory and the Routine Activity theory are both very useful theories. The …show more content…
It explains how some offenders let their impulsiveness take over. The Routine Activity theory is extremely helpful in understanding how some crimes happen, such as burglary. It explains how the absence of those three aspects can make some people and things prone to victimization. It is able to explain how sometimes people can prevent crimes from happening if they take the right steps. But, it also explains how some crime is inevitable because people do not take certain safety steps. Both theories can be applied to many criminal situations. I trust that both theories are correct because they have been applied to so many situations. They are really useful in helping some people avoid becoming victims of crime. I have personally learned a lot from these two theories. I thought it was extremely interesting to learn that some offenders really can not help but commit crimes because of low self-control. The SelfControl theory really explains how and why some offenders commit certain crimes. I enjoyed learning how a lot of crimes are commited because of a lack of gaurdianship, a suitable target, and a