Lecture 18 Rational Choice Criminology- Increase punishment will decrease crime. - Idea of rational choice: Rational choices do not seem possible in reality- Benefits – cost = net benefits of some course of action- One action may promise a larger total benefit, but the cost may also be great. - People have incomplete knowledge. The thief does not know how close the policeis. He doesn’t know the probability of him being caught- One choice is covered by perceptions and emotions. The classical idea of rational choice is cold and calculated. o Crime is often driven by emotions and crime itself is very exciting. These are all taking place in the decision making process.- A classical model of rational choice assume that all people will make same decisions under same circumstances. But it doesn’t seem to be possible in reality because people may choose something they like or concern about something else. So the model is more complicated.- Crime is a decision. (what rational choice criminology says)- Crimes are also rational- Juvenile delinquency seems to be entirely irrational. Delinquency has immediate benefits. Those benefits can simply be excitement. It is in the person’s self-interest. - Limited/bounded rationality:o The making of a decision with due accounting of costs and benefits, but without full knowledge of risks and probabilities of success.o Such a decision may be additionally influenced by emotions, which result in an action being taken without much prior thought, or by beliefs and morals.o Culture may additionally restrict the range of choices, and the more beneficial of these may be culturally prohibited.o Rationality is influenced by many things other than benefits and costs- The model describes and explains only one kind of crime. Crime specific- Rational choice scholars focus on individuals. The decision to commit arson is different from the decision to commit burglary. Different crime is different from one another.- The inner city residential burglary. The needs for burglary is not simply material. Some people use the money they get from burglary to buy drugs or get sex. They commit burglary attaining the status for street culture.- When people don’t have job, the only mean to attain the status is party life- Lack of a higher class position make attaining the situation- Why people mostly choose illegit mean which is crime in this case? Because the legit mean is not available in this case.- Direct experience with punishmento Specific deterrenceo Punishment avoidance- Indirect experience with punishmento General deterrenceo Punishment avoidance- Moral cost in committing a crime: if the person has consciouso Rational offender may feel shame and guilt. This is the moral cost- Many of the offenders of burglary have urgent need for
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