Rational Choice Theories and Environmental Criminology

Modern Day Rational Choice Theories

• Rational choice theories have significantly influenced various fields, including social policy, politics, education, philosophy, and economics, providing a framework for understanding decision-making processes.

• This video outlines the influence of rational choice theory in environmental criminology.

Gary Becker and Expected Utility

• Gary Becker, an American Nobel Prize-winning economist, posited in 1968 that individuals engage in criminal activities if the expected utility (benefits) of doing so is positive, meaning the perceived advantages outweigh the potential disadvantages.

• Conversely, individuals will refrain from committing offenses if the expected utility is negative, indicating that the anticipated costs exceed the potential gains.

• Expected utility refers to the benefits derived from committing the offense, encompassing both tangible and intangible rewards such as financial gain, social status, or psychological satisfaction.

• Offenders commit crimes when the benefits, encompassing both material and psychological rewards, outweigh the risks or losses (costs). This calculation forms the basis of rational decision-making in the context of criminal behavior.

Situational Deterrence

• Situations can deter crime and undesirable behavior by altering the perceived costs and benefits associated with specific actions.

• Situations can activate or deactivate motivations to commit crime, influencing individuals' inclination to engage in illegal activities based on the immediate environment and circumstances.

Clark and Mayhew's Suicide Study

• Ron Clark and Patricia Mayhew conducted a notable study on suicides in Britain, earning them the Stockholm Criminology Prize. This research provided valuable insights into the impact of opportunity on behavior.

• The study examined how the opportunity to commit suicide affected its frequency, revealing the significant role of situational factors in influencing suicidal behavior.

• In the 1950s, approximately 40% of suicides in Britain were carried out by gassing (turning on domestic gas in the oven). This method was prevalent due to its accessibility and perceived effectiveness.

• Domestic gas supplies were altered from coal gas to natural gas, which contained less carbon monoxide and could be detected by smell. This modification aimed to reduce the lethality of gas and prevent suicides.

• The percentage of carbon monoxide in the gas supply dramatically fell in the late 1960s, leading to a decrease in the effectiveness of gassing as a suicide method.

• A dramatic drop in the proportion of suicides by gassing was observed by the 1970s, indicating the success of the gas alteration in preventing suicides.

• The level of non-gas suicide did not rise by the same amount, suggesting that the reduction in gassing suicides was not simply offset by an increase in alternative methods.

• Even highly motivated people did not necessarily find other means to end their life when the easy opportunity (gassing) was removed, highlighting the importance of situational factors in influencing behavior.

• This demonstrates a situational deterrent effect, illustrating how modifying the environment can effectively reduce the occurrence of specific behaviors.

Copper Cable Theft Study

• Research conducted by the speaker and colleagues at UCL, published in 2011, examined copper cable thefts from British railway networks. This study shed light on the rational decision-making processes of offenders.

• In the mid-2000s, British Transport Police observed a substantial increase in these thefts, posing significant challenges to railway infrastructure and safety.

• Thefts occurred from the line side (drums of copper cabling) and from the live railway network, resulting in disruptions to train services and potential hazards.

• Stealing copper cable caused disruption and occasionally resulted in the death of offenders due to electrocution, underscoring the risks associated with this type of criminal activity.

• The working hypothesis was that criminals were stealing copper because the price of scrap copper had risen due to a global shortage caused by China's infrastructure projects. This economic incentive was believed to be driving the surge in thefts.

• When the price of scrap copper was plotted against the trends in copper cable theft, a clear pattern emerged, revealing a strong correlation between economic incentives and criminal behavior.

• Prices rose first, and thefts followed; when prices fell, so did thefts, indicating a direct relationship between the profitability of copper theft and its prevalence.

• The correlation was so strong that a peer reviewer questioned its authenticity, highlighting the robustness of the findings.

• If the benefits increase for committing the crime, it outweighs the risks and effort, reinforcing the rational choice perspective of offender decision-making.

• Offender decision-making in this case was clearly rational, demonstrating that individuals weigh the costs and benefits before engaging in criminal behavior.

Nuances of Modern Rational Choice Perspective

• Rational choice theory is a normative model, not a descriptive theory. It outlines how individuals should make decisions under ideal circumstances, rather than how they actually behave in real-world scenarios.

• It suggests how individuals ought to behave, acknowledging that behavior is malleable depending on the situation and emotions. Human behavior is influenced by a variety of factors beyond rational calculation, including emotions, biases, and social norms.

• The costs and benefits of crime need not be economic. While financial considerations often play a role, other factors such as social status, personal satisfaction, and psychological rewards can also influence criminal behavior.

• While property theft has clear economic benefits, other crimes may offer psychological benefits, such as thrill-seeking or a sense of power.

• Felsen (1986) stated that people make choices, but these choices are limited by individual circumstances. Opportunities for criminal behavior are not equally distributed across society, with certain individuals or groups having more access to specific types of crime.

• For example, white-collar crime is only an option for those with professional jobs, illustrating how occupational roles can shape individuals' involvement in criminal activities.

• Rational choice perspective takes criminal motivation as a given. It assumes that everyone is capable of committing crime, but the decision to engage in illegal behavior depends on the perceived costs and benefits in a given situation.

• It assumes everyone is capable of committing crime, but the situation dictates when and where it happens. Factors such as the presence of capable guardians, the availability of targets, and the perceived risks of detection all play a role in shaping criminal opportunities.

• Rational choice perspective was used to bolster and explain why situational crime prevention was plausible. By understanding the factors that influence offender decision-making, policymakers can implement targeted interventions to reduce crime.

• Rational choice is used to assist crime prevention. It provides a framework for analyzing crime problems and developing effective prevention strategies.