Rational Choice TheoryActions align with preferencesBentham “hedonistic calculus”Gary Becker (1968)EconomistApplied econ to criminologyCornish and Clark (1986) The Reasoning CriminalTwo Processes:Criminal involvementCrime-specific decisionsActor creates and responds to situationsOffenders seek to benefit selves with crime“Bounded Rationality”decisions made on faulty informationnot assuming decisions based on accurate estimates of costs and benefitsRational decisions aren’t always good decisions…Liquor store burglarRational Choice ModelCrime InvolvementGradual, long term process4 areas:Background factorsPrevious learning experienceNeedsEvaluating solutionsBecoming a burglarSolutionsLegitimate work, gamblingIllegitimate- burglaryExplaining overall decision to enter into a life of crimeRCM: Crime SpecificAfter a person has decided to engage in crimeSpecific decisions about crime incidentsSituational factors impact these decisionsRational Choice Theory and Deterrence:RCT also extension of NeoclassismMain differences:RCT mainly interested in INFORMAL punishmentsRCT is an individual-level theory, perceptualRCT, RAT, and Deterrence often get lumped into one overall theoretical idea with many overlapsTesting RCTUsually scenario designsAsk: What would you do?Ask: What would influence your decision?Drunk Driving Studies:Shame is the deterrentSupport RCTSexual Arousement Studies:Aroused men more likely to say they would act in a sexually aggressive mannerEmotions alter decision makingSupports RCTCriticisms of RCT:Impulsive ResearchLittle evidence of pure-rational decisionsMany criminals do not report planning crimesThey don’t report that they considered consequencesFuture of RCTLevels of RationalityQuestioning idea that every one has equal rationalityMaybe only “some” people are deterrableGambler’s FallacyPeople “reset” perceptions of costs/benefitsDon’t get caught: inflated sense of abilityDo get caught: assume low likelihood of getting caught againRoutine Activities Theory (RAT)Still a choice based theoryFocus shifted towards the victims of crimeLate 70sSocioeconomics more equal than everCrime rates sharply risingNCVS popular for researchOrigins: Lifestyle Theory (70s)Idea: your lifestyle puts you at risk for victimizationCohen and Felson, RAT (1979)Expanded on lifestyle theoryCrime is: mundane, everyday, inevitable, feature of social/economic progressMotivated offenders, Suitable targets, absence of capable guardians CrimeRAT: Changes in everyday lifeTested theory on US data after WW2Women leaving household for college, jobsBecome suitable targetsEmpty houses become suitable targetsMerchandise got smallerSUPPORTED RATTo lower crime, lower opportunitiesRAT and DeterrenceHuman nature assumptions the same as deterrence and RCTFocused on deterring future offendingMain differences:Victim focused“reduces the big three?”Test RATUsing micro-level data- SUPPORTSMost support in property crimeNow research links RAT with peersProvides opportunities to commit crimeProvides audience, get respect, statusUnstructured activities time for devianceCriticisms of RATMotivations taken as a givenNot interested in WHY people commit crimeLittle to no emphasis on background factorsIdeas of suitable target and capable guardian vagueNot as convincing to explain violent crime, intimate partner violenceCriminology Notes 2/9 02/18/2011Rational Choice Theory- Actions align with preferences- Bentham “hedonistic calculus”- Gary Becker (1968)o Economisto Applied econ to criminology- Cornish and Clark (1986) The Reasoning Criminalo Two Processes: Criminal involvement Crime-specific decisionso Actor creates and responds to situationso Offenders seek to benefit selves with crime- “Bounded Rationality”o decisions made on faulty informationo not assuming decisions based on accurate estimates of costs and benefitso Rational decisions aren’t always good decisions… Liquor store burglarRational Choice Model- Crime Involvement- Gradual, long term process- 4 areas:o Background factorso Previous learning experienceo Needso Evaluating solutionsBecoming a burglar- Solutionso Legitimate work, gamblingo Illegitimate- burglary- Explaining overall decision to enter into a life of crimeRCM: Crime Specific- After a person has decided to engage in crime- Specific decisions about crime incidents- Situational factors impact these decisionsRational Choice Theory and Deterrence:- RCT also extension of Neoclassism- Main differences:o RCT mainly interested in INFORMAL punishmentso RCT is an individual-level theory, perceptual- RCT, RAT, and Deterrence often get lumped into one overall theoretical idea with many overlapsTesting RCT- Usually scenario designs- Ask: What would you do?- Ask: What would influence your decision?o Drunk Driving Studies: Shame is the deterrent Support RCTo Sexual Arousement Studies: Aroused men more likely to say they would act in a sexually aggressive manner Emotions alter decision making Supports RCT- Criticisms of RCT:o Impulsive Researcho Little evidence of pure-rational decisionso Many criminals do not report planning crimeso They don’t report that they considered consequencesFuture of RCT- Levels of Rationality- Questioning idea that every one has equal rationality- Maybe only “some” people are deterrable- Gambler’s Fallacyo People “reset” perceptions of costs/benefitso Don’t get caught: inflated sense of abilityo Do get caught: assume low likelihood of getting caught againRoutine Activities Theory (RAT)- Still a choice based theory- Focus shifted towards the victims of crimeo Late 70so Socioeconomics more equal than evero Crime rates sharply risingo NCVS popular for research- Origins: Lifestyle Theory (70s)o Idea: your lifestyle puts you at risk for victimizationo Cohen and Felson, RAT (1979) Expanded on lifestyle theory Crime is: mundane, everyday, inevitable, feature of social/economic progress Motivated offenders, Suitable targets, absence of capable guardians Crime- RAT: Changes in everyday lifeo Tested theory on US data after WW2o Women leaving household for college, jobs Become suitable targets Empty houses become suitable targetso Merchandise got smallero SUPPORTED RATo To lower crime, lower opportunities- RAT and Deterrenceo Human nature assumptions the same as deterrence and RCTo Focused on deterring future offendingo Main differences: Victim focused “reduces the big three?”- Test RATo Using
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