Page 1: Introduction to Choice Theory

Overview of Choice Theory

• Desistance: The phenomenon where crime rates decline as offenders age; often referred to as the "aging-out process."

• Motivations for Crime: Individuals may commit crimes for various reasons, including thrill-seeking, greed, revenge, or simply for enjoyment.

Key Concepts in Choice Theory

• Situational Crime Prevention: Strategies aimed at reducing opportunities for crime by altering the environment.

• General Deterrence: Punishment aimed at the general populace to discourage crime.

• Specific Deterrence: Punishment aimed at an individual offender to prevent them from re-offending.

• Incapacitation: Removing offenders from society to prevent them from committing further crimes.

Page 2: Development of Classical/Choice Theory

Core Concepts

• Utilitarianism: The principle that actions should promote the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

• Free Will in Behavior: Individuals choose their actions, including criminal behavior, freely.

• Social Contract: Society provides protection in exchange for individuals choosing to limit personal freedom.

Legal Principles

• The law should govern harmful actions only; moral behavior should not be legislated.

• Presumption of innocence and protection from torture.

• Laws should be clear and written in advance, with predictable punishments.

• Punishments must be necessary, limited, swift, certain, and severe to deter crime effectively.

Page 3: Jeremy Bentham and Classical Theory

Contribution of Jeremy Bentham

• Popularized Cesare Beccaria's ideas, bringing them to British attention.

• Advocated that laws must enhance community happiness.

Objectives of Punishment

1. Prevent all criminal offenses.

2. Convince offenders to commit the least serious crime.

3. Ensure use of minimal force necessary.

4. Prevent crime as cheaply as possible.

Page 4: The Panopticon and Classical Law

Bentham's Panopticon

• A design for a prison that allows constant observation of inmates without them knowing when they are being watched.

• Compliance results from the risk of detection.

Adoption of Classical Theory

• Adopted formally in France's Declaration of the Rights of Man (1789) allowing only lawful punishments for harmful actions.

• Emphasized stopping torture and ensuring humane treatment.

Page 5: Resurgence of Choice Theory

1970s Resurgence

• Choice theory/classical criminology saw renewed interest in the 1970s.

• James Q. Wilson: Suggested that social conditions do not cause crime; people are driven by the lack of inhibition and thrill-seeking.

• A conservative policy shift emphasized harsh punishments.

Offense-Specific and Offender-Specific Crime

• Offense-Specific Crime: Criminals evaluate characteristics specific to crimes, such as potential targets.

• Offender-Specific Crimes: Offenders assess their skills and capabilities relating to committing a crime.

Page 6: Structuring Criminality

Factors Influencing Criminal Choices

• Economic Circumstances: Transition away from crime occurs if legal opportunities offer better financial rewards.

• Perception of Risk: A higher perceived risk than potential rewards will lead to desistance from crime.

• Agnew’s Perspective: Criminals often exhibit traits of lack of self-control and are less deterred by punishment.

Page 7: Structuring Crime

Decision-Making Elements

• Location Choice: Factors such as low risk of capture and convenience influence where crimes occur.

• Target Characteristics: Example: home burglaries are influenced by whether occupants are home and the presence of security measures.

Page 8: Rational Choice Theory and Routine Activities Theory

Rational Choice Theory

• Crime results from a decision-making process weighing risks vs. rewards.

Routine Activities Theory

• Crime occurs when a suitable target is not defended by competent guardians.

• Highlights interaction of motivation (offender), opportunity, and target characteristics.

Page 9: Rationality of Street Crimes

Examples of Rational Decision-Making in Crimes

• Auto Theft: Target selection is based on making low-risk, high-reward choices (e.g., certain car models).

• Sex Work: Workers take calculated risks concerning safety, health, and client choice.

• Drug Dealing: Decisions on dealing often hinge on maximizing profit while minimizing risk.

Page 10: Violence and Its Rationality

Instrumental vs. Non-Instrumental Violence

• Instrumental Crimes: Committed to achieve tangible benefits.

• Violent Crimes: Often based on emotions such as revenge or provocation, despite a rational component to target choice.

Page 11: Crime Control Strategies Based on Choice Theory

Situational Crime Prevention Strategies

• Crime prevention methods include fortifying access to targets and increasing surveillance.

General Deterrence Strategies

• Focus on making offenders fear consequences of crime through mandatory sentences and enforcement strategies.

Page 12: Specific Deterrence and Incapacitation

Specific Deterrence

• Aimed at individuals to reduce recidivism through harsh punishments.

Incapacitation

• Enforcing longer sentences to keep potential offenders off the streets.

Page 13: More Crime Prevention Strategies

Strategies to Reduce Crime Choices

1. Increasing Efforts: Implementing harder targets.

2. Increasing Risks: Employing enhanced surveillance systems.

3. Reducing Rewards: Making illegal activities less lucrative.

4. Inducing Guilt or Shame: Using social mechanisms like sex offender registries.

Page 14: Crime Discouragers and Guardians

Guardianship Levels

• Includes individuals or groups responsible for monitoring targets, offenders, or locations.

• Ranges from personal (family) to general (community members).

Page 15: General Deterrence

Influence of Punishment Severity

• A strong relationship exists between crime rates and perceived likelihood of punishment—certainty plays a central role over severity.

Page 16: Perceptual Deterrence and Informal Sanctions

Importance of Perception

• Social influences, like disapproval from family and peers, can act as more significant deterrents than formal legal punishments.

Page 17: Specific Deterrence and Recidivism

Recidivism Rates

• Many chronic offenders do not deter from crime due to initial positive reinforcements of their actions.

Page 18: Shame as a Deterrent

Reintegration through Shaming

• Reintegrative Shaming: Encourages offenders to acknowledge wrongdoings while supporting reintegration into society.

• Examples of cultures that emphasize public apology and restoration.

Page 19: Incapacitation Strategies

Increasing Incarceration Rates

• Discussion about the rise in incarceration rates and its modest effectiveness in crime prevention.

Page 20: Policy Implications of Crime Theories

Concept of Just Desert

1. Offenders deserve punishment proportional to their crimes.

2. Preventing added human suffering from the punishment process.

3. Recognizing the potential for punishment to curb future crimes.

Page 21: Introduction to Trait Theories

Overview

• Examines physical or psychological traits that may predispose individuals to crime.

• Differentiates between biological and psychological origins of criminal behavior.

Page 22: Biological Theories and Crime

Early Perspectives

• Lombroso's concept of "born criminals" dismissed due to lack of control groups.

Modern Understanding

• Focus on the interplay of biology and environment in shaping behavior.

Page 23: Genetic Links to Crime

Genetic Factors

• Genetic traits like aggression and psychopathy have been linked to criminality.

Page 24: Psychodynamic and Behavioral Theories

Influence of Childhood

• Freud's theories emphasize early childhood experiences on later behavior, including potential for delinquency.

Page 25: Mental Health and Crime

Correlation with Offenders

• High prevalence of mental illness among serious offenders, indicating systemic issues impacting these populations.

Page 26: Personality Traits Related to Crime

Overview of Traits

• Impulsivity, aggression, and sociopathy are significant markers linked to criminal behavior.

Page 27: Social Structure Theories

Insight into Socioeconomic Impact

• Examines how socio-cultural environments influence crime patterns rather than solely individual characteristics.

Page 28: Economic Structure and Crime

Analysis of Inequality

• Discusses how poverty and wealth disparities impact crime rates and perpetuate cycles of disadvantage.

Page 29: Intersectional Analysis

Racialized and marginalized groups

• Overrepresentation of minority groups in lower classes and the criminal justice system underlines systemic inequities.

Page 30: Summary of Social Process Theories

Importance of Socialization

• Highlights the role of family, peers, and broader social institutions in the development of criminal behavior.