Group Report
Pineda, Kobe M.
Balingit, Kim Nicole
Casim, Jeric
Macasio, Arwin
Cano, Mary Joy
Lesson 5: Rational Choice Theory
Cesare becaria and Jeremy bentham were the originators of classical school and rational choice and the
classical school believe that people commit crime due to their nature and freewill rationa choice theory
their focus was mainly on individuals personal choice which was often said to be based on rationality
Concept:
Rational Choice Theory
Rational choice theory holds that person will engage in criminal behavior after weighing the
consequences and benefits of his/her actions. Criminal behavior is a rational choice made by a
motivated offender who perceives that the chances of gain outweigh any possible punishment or loss
(Siegel et al.,2007).
Example :
White-collar crime. An investment banker decides to skim money from his clients’ accounts and hides
the loss, and then personally takes the money to fund his/her lavish lifestyle.
A burglary with two offenders deciding to work together to plan to break into a home at night when the
family is on vacation. The burglars made a decision by planning and carrying out the burglary by
weighing the means and benefits and making a decision to violate the law despite the punishment if
caught.
Clarke and cornish
The pair wanted to understand thw mind behind a criminal like a burglar, specifically the questions they
may ask themselves before commiting a crime
Some of these questions included:
1. Which house has the most valuables
2. Are the neighbors going to be watching the house
3. How difficult will it be to get inside of the house
Rational Choice Theories:
RATIONAL CHOICE (law-violating behavior occurs after
offenders weigh information on their personal need and situational factors involved in the difficulty and
risk of committing a crime.)
• Strategies for controlling crime flow from the premise.
1. GENERAL DETERRENCE (people will commit crime and
delinquency if they perceive that the benefits outweigh the risks. Crime is a function of the severity,
certainty, and speed of punishment.)
2. SPECIFIC DEDERENCE (if punishment is severe enough,
criminal will not repeat their illegal act.)
3. INCAPACITATION (Keeping known criminals out of circulation will
reduce the crime rate.)
History Of Rational Theories:
Rational choice theory was first introduced by economists and later adopted by criminology studies in
the late 1970s. Rational choice theory in criminology grew out of the same utilitarian philosophy as
deterrence associated with the classical school of criminology developed by Cesare Beccaria. Working
from the classical school of criminology and the theoretical framework of utilitarianism Jeremy Bentham
discuss the concept of calculus of pleasure or hedonistic calculus. Hedonistic calculus states that people
will weigh the possible pleasures from committing the crime against the possible pain from punishment,
and act accordingly
Offence Specific Crime:
Offender react selectively to the
characteristics of an individual
criminal act.
E.g. the decision to commit a burglary.
Offender Specific Crime:
• To commit crime individuals must
decide whether they have the personal
needs skills, and nuts and bolts to commit a crime.
Severity of Punishment:
Threat of severe punishment should also bring the
crime rate down.
• Little consensus that strict punishment alone can
reduce criminal activities.
Certainty of punishment has a greater deterrent effect
then its severity.
• Fear of death penalty should significantly reduce crime rate.
INCAPACITATION:
• Keeping known criminal out of circulation will reduce
crime rates.
• There is little evidence that incapacitating criminals deters them from future criminality
Stable crime rates may be controlled by:
• The size of the teenage population
• The threat of mandatory sentences
• Economy
• Gun laws
• The end of the crack epidemic
• The implementation of aggressive policing strategies
Contributing Factors:
Background Factors
Intelligence of an individual
Social aspects
Family background
Friend person chooses to be around
Demographic Characteristics
Area which they live
Situational Factors
Peer pressure
Current Relationship problem with significant other
Consumption
of Drugs or alcohol
Weighing costs and Benefits:
Chance of getting caught
○ The severity of the expected punishment
○ The value gained from committing a crime
○ The immediate need for that value
Criminal's Needs:
Choice Theory is based on the assumption that individuals
have sets of hierarchically ordered, preferences or Utilities.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs Basic needs before higher levels
of needs
○ food, sex, money, sleep etc.
Deterrence:
A criminal can be deterred from committing a crime based on
the certain step taken by society.
○ Target hardening - making it more difficult to get to item
person or place a criminal wants or values
Example: Bank Vaults
Overall:
Rational theory has many factors and aspects to consider when in the mind of an individual Criminal. But
as it can apply to and explain any case it is presented with.
