Crim 3

What is the major shift made by Routine Activity Theory (RAT) and Rational Choice Theory (RCT)?

Instead of asking why people become criminals, they ask why crimes happen at particular times and places. Crime depends on opportunities and situations.

Why are RAT and RCT called opportunity theories?

Because they focus on opportunities that allow crime to occur rather than the root causes of criminal motivation.

Why are these theories considered neo-conservative?

They focus on practical crime prevention, environmental changes, and individual responsibility rather than inequality or social injustice.

Who developed Routine Activity Theory?

Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson.

What does Routine Activity Theory argue?

Crime occurs when opportunities arise during everyday routines.

What are the three elements required for crime according to RAT?

• Motivated offender

• Suitable target

• Absence of a capable guardian

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is a motivated offender?

Someone willing or inclined to commit crime.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is a suitable target?

A person or property attractive enough to offend against.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is a capable guardian?

Anyone or anything that discourages crime (police, family, neighbors, locks, alarms, dogs).

According to RAT, what prevents crime?

Increasing guardianship and reducing opportunities.

Does RAT try to explain criminal motivation?

No. It assumes motivation exists and focuses on situations that allow crime.

Which theories are most compatible with RAT?

Rational Choice Theory and Self-Control Theory because all assume crime is easier when opportunities exist.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is situational crime prevention?

Reducing crime by increasing effort, increasing risks, and reducing rewards.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is place management?

Managing crime-prone places through handlers, guardians, and managers.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is environmental corrections?

Supervising offenders to reduce opportunities to commit crime rather than only changing criminal motivation.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is problem-oriented policing?

Police identify crime problems and modify environments to make crime more difficult.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is crime displacement?

Crime moving to another place or target after prevention efforts.

Routine Activity Theory (RAT): What is diffusion of benefits?

Crime prevention benefits spread beyond the targeted area.

What is the main idea of Rational Choice Theory?

Offenders make decisions after weighing costs and benefits, although their decisions are based on limited rationality.

Rational Choice Theory (RCT): What is bounded (limited) rationality?

People make decisions with incomplete information and limited reasoning.

How does modern RCT differ from classical theory?

It includes emotions, informal sanctions, limited rationality, and situational influences.

Rational Choice Theory (RCT): Besides money and punishment, what other costs and benefits matter?

Costs: Shame, Guilt, Social disapproval

Benefits: Thrill, Revenge, Status, Excitement

What role do emotions play in Rational Choice Theory?

Emotions influence decisions and may outweigh logical calculations.

How are other criminological theories used in RCT?

They become background factors that influence how offenders evaluate choices.

What is one criticism of Rational Choice Theory?

It can overemphasize personal responsibility and justify harsher punishment.

What policy is most associated with RCT?

Situational crime prevention.

What is perceptual deterrence?

Crime depends on people's perceptions of punishment rather than the actual punishment.

How does perceptual deterrence differ from RCT?

It focuses on perceived punishment rather than broader situational decision-making.

Perceptual Deterrence Theory: Which is more important: certainty or severity of punishment?

Certainty.

Perceptual Deterrence Theory: What does research generally find about deterrence?

It has only modest effects on reducing crime.

What are future researchdirections for perceptual deterrence?

• Include non-legal costs

• Include benefits

• Study perceptions

• Examine learning and experience

• Study irrational thinking

What does Situational Action Theory try to explain?

How motivation, morality, and opportunity combine to produce crime.

How do life-course theories differ from adolescence-limited criminology?

They study criminal behavior across the entire lifespan instead of focusing only on adolescence.

Life-Course Perspectives: What are the four features of a criminal career?

• Onset

• Duration

• Frequency

• Desistance

Life-Course Perspectives: What is desistance?

Stopping criminal behavior.

What causes crime according to Self-Control Theory?

Low self-control developed during childhood.

According to Self-Control Theory, what is the best predictor of future crime?

Prior offending because low self-control is stable.

What criticism is made of Self-Control Theory?

It ignores changing life circumstances that influence criminal behavior.

Patterson's Developmental Theory: What is the Early Onset pathway?

Dysfunctional parenting → coercive behavior → school problems → delinquency.

Patterson's Developmental Theory: What causes the Late Onset pathway?

Delinquent peers during adolescence.

Patterson's Developmental Theory: Why do Late Onset offenders usually desist?

They possess social skills that help them transition into adulthood.

Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: What are Moffitt's two main offender groups?

• Life-Course Persistent (LCP)

• Adolescence-Limited (AL)

Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: What causes Adolescence-Limited offending?

The maturity gap between biological maturity and adult responsibilities.

Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: What types of crimes do Adolescence-Limited offenders commit?

Mostly minor, status offenses committed with peers.

Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: Why do Adolescence-Limited offenders stop offending?

Normal development into adult roles.

Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: What causes Life-Course Persistent offending?

Neuropsychological deficits combined with poor parenting.

Moffitt's Developmental Taxonomy: What characterizes Life-Course Persistent offenders?

Early onset, violent and versatile offending, persistence across life.

What is the central idea of Age-Graded Theory?

Strong social bonds at different life stages reduce crime.

Sampson & Laub's Age-Graded Theory: What are important adult turning points?

• Marriage

• Stable employment

• Military service

Sampson & Laub's Age-Graded Theory: What are turning points?

Major life events that strengthen social bonds and promote desistance.

Sampson & Laub's Age-Graded Theory: What is cumulative continuity?

Crime weakens social bonds, making future crime more likely.

Sampson & Laub's Age-Graded Theory: What is cumulative disadvantage?

Crime creates additional problems (job loss, incarceration, failed relationships) that reinforce offending.

Cognitive Theories: What are redemption scripts?

Desisting offenders develop a new identity and believe they can change.

Cognitive Theories: What is cognitive transformation?

A change in thinking that allows offenders to take advantage of opportunities to change.

Cognitive Theories: What are hooks for change?

Opportunities like relationships or jobs that support desistance if offenders choose to embrace them.

Cognitive Theories: What policies do Life-Course theories support?

• Early intervention

• Family support

• Reentry programs

• Strengthening adult social bonds

• Reducing cumulative disadvantage

Cognitive Theories: Why do Life-Course theories oppose "get tough" policies?

Because incarceration can strengthen criminal pathways instead of reducing crime.