Choice Theory Chapter 4 SOC 112

Rational Choice Crime: decision to violate law - greed / revenge / anger / lust / jealousy / etc. Development - rooted in Classical School - Cesare Beccaria (late 1700s) - fair / certain punishment - crime / punishment: proportional - marginal deterrence Classical Theory

Choice, cont. - criminals choose - pleasure / pain principle a. Jeremy Bentham (early 1800s) - popularized - Utilitarianism b. Punishment - harmful / existence justified c. Four objectives:

Choice, cont. i. Prevent all criminal offenses ii. Not prevent / convince criminal offenders to commit lesser iii. Ensure criminal uses no more force than is necessary iv. Prevent crime as cheaply as possible d. Classical approach declined Positivistic view - gains mainstream acceptance

Choice, cont. Choice Theory emerges a. Public fear – mid 1970s - rehabilitation failed - crime increase - prison violence - media depictions b. Rational criminals – late 1970s - planning / fear punishment / - deserve to be penalized

Choice, cont. c. Impact: crime control - tougher laws - mandatory sentencing - increase prison population Concepts - factors considered: personal / situational a. Offense-specific crime: - react selectively - characteristics

Concepts, cont. b. Offender-specific: - not automatons - random acts c. Crime versus criminality - crime: an event - criminality: personal trait Structuring criminality - personal factors condition people

Concepts, cont. a. Economic opportunity b. Learning / experience c. Knowledge of techniques Structuring crime - rationally choose - where / when a. Choosing the crime (specialists)

Concepts, cont. b. Time and place (select) c. Target (vulnerability) Is crime rational? - rational / objective thought a. Theft - unplanned: involve risk assessment - boosters? - avoiding detection

Is Crime Rational? - permeable neighborhood? b. Drug use - decision making - like a business c. Violence - vulnerable victims - careful planning - avoid detection - reinforcing

Rational, cont. Eliminating crime a. Situational crime prevention (1) Targets guarded (2) Defensible space (3) Specific crimes (4) Increase efforts - reduce opportunities

Rational, cont. (5) Reduce rewards - value of crime (6) Increase risk - crime is risky (7) Increase guilt - embarrass offender (8) Costs / benefits

Rational, cont. (a) Diffusion - prevent one / prevent another (b) Discouragement - target area / surrounding area (c) Displacement - effort in one / send to another (d) Extinction - short term

General Deterrence Threat of punishment - influences / controls - people’s fear a. Certainty of punishment - “tipping point” - crime persists b. Crime continues - small chance of arrest - reluctance to make arrest

Deterrence, cont. - lenient punishment c. Increase police activity - possible - crackdowns - problem solving / community improvement d. Severity of punishment - certain crimes - not all criminal activity

Deterrence, cont. e. Capital punishment - might actually increase - states: no difference - increase executions = reduce murder rate f. Informal sanctions - greater deterrent impact - disapproval / stigma / anger / indignation g. Shame / humiliation - powerful deterrent

Deterrence, cont. - public humiliation - effect varies h. General deterrence rationality - need - greed - severity / speed 2. Specific deterrence (special / particular) - powerful sanctions / never repeat - deter crime?

Deterrence, cont. (1) Majority not deterred (2) Defiance / not deterrence j. Incapacitation - reduce crime - other factors (1) Teenage population (2) Mandatory sentencing (3) Economic health (4) Gun laws

Deterrence, cont. (5) Drug epidemic (6) Aggressive policing - logic behind: (1) Little evidence (2) Experienced inmates (3) Teens / young adults (4) Past crime age (5) Expensive (6) Accelerate upon release

Deterrence, cont. k. Selective incapacitation - chronic career criminal - “Three strikes” (1) Age out soon (2) Severe sentences (3) Increased costs