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 Cross-Tradition Connections
Informed
Crime pattern theory assumes offenders exercise a bounded, opportunistic rationality in choosing targets encountered along their everyday routines.
Its opportunity-reduction logic assumes offenders weigh effort, risk and reward.
Informed By
Rational choice theory revived the classical school emphasis on rational calculation within a modern criminological framework.
Sources
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