A theory holding that offenders weigh the anticipated costs and benefits of a crime before acting, choosing to offend when the expected reward outweighs the perceived risk. It revived the classical schools emphasis on rational calculation within a modern criminological framework.
Facts
Core ClaimOffenders make a rational calculation of expected costs and benefits before choosing to commit a crime. 1 Origin YearSourced to the subject's own account Standing CritiqueSourced to the subject's own accountCritics argue the theory oversimplifies human behavior, reducing it to cold calculation and ignoring the emotional, social and psychological factors that also drive criminal acts. 2 Connections
Associated With
Source Wikipedia: Rational Choice Theory (Criminology)
Source Wikipedia: Rational Choice Theory (Criminology)
Source Wikipedia: Rational Choice Theory (Criminology)
Informed
Crime pattern theory assumes offenders exercise a bounded, opportunistic rationality in choosing targets encountered along their everyday routines.
Source Wikipedia: Crime Pattern Theory
Its opportunity-reduction logic assumes offenders weigh effort, risk and reward.
Source Wikipedia: Situational Crime Prevention
Informed By
Rational choice theory revived the classical school emphasis on rational calculation within a modern criminological framework.
Source Siegel, Criminology: The CoreLarry J. Siegel
Sources
1. Siegel, Criminology: The Core
Larry J. Siegel, Cengage Learning
2. SimplyPsychology: Rational Choice Theory of Criminology
Cornish and Clarke 1986 section
Cornish and Clarke (1986) proposed that offenders engage in a process of rational decision-making shaped by situational factors.
Criticism section
Critics argue that it oversimplifies human behavior, ignoring emotional, social, and psychological factors that often drive criminal acts.
View the SourceWikipedia: Situational Crime Prevention
Wikipedia: Crime Pattern Theory
Wikipedia: Rational Choice Theory (Criminology)
Associated With: Larceny, Types of crime section
Instrumental crimes ... include such offenses as tax evasion, traffic violations, corporate crime, larceny and sexual assault.
Associated With: Sexual Assault, Types of crime section
Instrumental crimes ... include such offenses as tax evasion, traffic violations, corporate crime, larceny and sexual assault.
Associated With: Manslaughter, Types of crime section
Expressive crimes ... include such offenses as non pre-meditated murder such as manslaughter, drinking and driving and assault.
View the SourceRational choice model (Wikipedia)
In Group: Classical School and Rational Choice, Lead sentenceQuote, In Group: Classical School and Rational Choice, Lead sentence
However, they are widely used throughout the social sciences, and are commonly applied to cognitive science, criminology, political science, and sociology.
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