Criminology: Rational Choice Theory

Matthew Hite
April 5, 2016
CJ-305-02
Rational Choice Theory
In criminology, there is a functional belief that man is a reasoning actor who weighs means and ends, and makes a rational choice. This method was designed by Cornish and Clarke to assist in the thinking of situational crime prevention.1 It is assumed, that crime is bad behavior designed to meet the offender’s everyday needs for such things as money, sex and excitement, and that by meeting the needs it involves the making of decisions and choices, constrained as these are by limits, ability, and the availability of relevant information.1
Rational choice is based on quite a few assumptions, one of which is individualism. The offender sees himself as an individual.2 The second is that
Rationality involves end/means calculations. People (freely) choose behavior, both conforming and deviant, based on their rational calculations. The central element of calculation involves a cost benefit analysis: Pleasure versus pain or hedonistic calculus. Choice, with all other conditions equal, will be directed towards the maximization of individual pleasure. Choice can be controlled through the perception and understanding of the potential pain or punishment that will follow an act judged to be in violation of the social good, the social contract. The state is responsible for maintaining order and preserving the common good through a system of laws. The swiftness, severity, and certainty of punishment are the key elements in understanding a law’s ability to control human
These three elements are almost always present in today’s society, no matter where you are. If there is a crime to be committed and the offender thinks that the reward is higher then what the punishment may be and there is no one around to see they will commit the crime, its just common sense.3 Some of the other theories are that you have to be taught or that its just in your genes, but I believe that 9 times out of 10 if someone thinks that the reward is greater then the punishment then they will commit the crime. What it really comes down to is what people value you more, obviously homicide is more severe then a petty gas station theft or marijuana use. But some people think that the reward or satisfaction of murder out weighs life in prison or death row, also the ticket or jail time for theft or drug usage is worth the rush or hunger for theft or the high for drugs. It just seems so simple that this is the best theory and it has plenty of support from multiple studies. You can even correlate it back to other theories as the underlying premise of why they want to commit the crime. There is a target, there is a motivated offender and there is no authority figure