Explanation of Crime
Name of Course: The Explanation of Crime
Code of Course: CMY3701
Semester Code: 02 - Second Semester
Assignment Number: 01 - Compulsory
Student Name: Riëtte du Bruyn
Student Number: 4238-255-6
Unique Number: 363036
Assignment Closing Date: 22 August 2013
Rational Choice Theory
Table of Contents Section A: 15 marks 3 1. Introduction 3 2. Definition of Rational Choice 3 3. The Six propositions of Rational Choice (Joubert 2009:19-20) 3 3.1 First: Crimes are deliberate acts, committed with the intention of benefiting the offender 3 3.2 Second: Offenders try to make the best decisions they can, given the risks and uncertainty involved 3 3.3 Third: Offender decision-making varies considerably according to the nature of the crime 4 3.4 Fourth: Decisions about becoming involved in particular kinds of crime (“involvement decisions”) are quite different from those relating to the commission of a specific criminal act (“event” decisions) 4 3.5 Fifth: Involvement decisions comprise three stages (Newburn 2007:283) *initiation: whether the person is ready to begin committing crime in order to obtain what he/she wants * habituation: whether, having started offending, he/she should continue to do so * desistance: whether, at some stage , he/she ought to stop. 4 3.6 Sixth: Event decisions involve a sequence of choices made at each stage of the criminal act. For example: preparation (when to do the crime – ie reduce risks), target selection (which house to burgle), commission of the act, escape, and aftermath. 4 4. Conclusion 5 Section B: 10 marks 5 5. News24 Newspaper Article: Ex-Matie killer describes murder in detail 5 6. The Link between the article and one of the six propositions in Section A 7 7. Conclusion 7 8. Bibliography 8
Section A: 15 marks 1. Introduction
The Rational Choice Theory has its origin in the Classical School of Criminology which was developed by Ceasare Beccaria (1738-1794), who viewed that crime is rational and
Code of Course: CMY3701
Semester Code: 02 - Second Semester
Assignment Number: 01 - Compulsory
Student Name: Riëtte du Bruyn
Student Number: 4238-255-6
Unique Number: 363036
Assignment Closing Date: 22 August 2013
Rational Choice Theory
Table of Contents Section A: 15 marks 3 1. Introduction 3 2. Definition of Rational Choice 3 3. The Six propositions of Rational Choice (Joubert 2009:19-20) 3 3.1 First: Crimes are deliberate acts, committed with the intention of benefiting the offender 3 3.2 Second: Offenders try to make the best decisions they can, given the risks and uncertainty involved 3 3.3 Third: Offender decision-making varies considerably according to the nature of the crime 4 3.4 Fourth: Decisions about becoming involved in particular kinds of crime (“involvement decisions”) are quite different from those relating to the commission of a specific criminal act (“event” decisions) 4 3.5 Fifth: Involvement decisions comprise three stages (Newburn 2007:283) *initiation: whether the person is ready to begin committing crime in order to obtain what he/she wants * habituation: whether, having started offending, he/she should continue to do so * desistance: whether, at some stage , he/she ought to stop. 4 3.6 Sixth: Event decisions involve a sequence of choices made at each stage of the criminal act. For example: preparation (when to do the crime – ie reduce risks), target selection (which house to burgle), commission of the act, escape, and aftermath. 4 4. Conclusion 5 Section B: 10 marks 5 5. News24 Newspaper Article: Ex-Matie killer describes murder in detail 5 6. The Link between the article and one of the six propositions in Section A 7 7. Conclusion 7 8. Bibliography 8
Section A: 15 marks 1. Introduction
The Rational Choice Theory has its origin in the Classical School of Criminology which was developed by Ceasare Beccaria (1738-1794), who viewed that crime is rational and
Bibliography: 9.1 Clarke, R. Cornish, D. Rational Approaches to crime. Retrieved August 10, 2013, from www.popcenter.org/library/reading/PDFs/.../01_introduction.pdf 9.2 Ex-matie killers describes murder in detail. 2012. News24. Retrieved August 12, 2013, from http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Former-Matie-tells-of-plan-to-rape-murder-ex-20120305 9.3 In Hours, Thieves Took $45 Million in A.T.M Scheme.2013. New York Times. Retrieved August 12, 2013, from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/nyregion/eight-charged-in-45-million-global-cyber-bank-thefts.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 9.4 Joubert, S.J. Joubert, E. Ovens, M. 2009. The Rational actor model of crime and criminal behaviour. Only Study Guide for CMY301H (Explanation of crime). Pretoria. Unisa 9.5 Man held in Evanston teen 's death was seeking revenge, prosecutors’ say.2012.Chicago News. Retrieved August 12, 2013, from http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2012-09-29/news/ct-met-evanston-shooting-charges-20120929_1_tiffany-rice-jay-parrott-first-degree-murder 9.6 Unemployed man ‘tries to rob bank for one dollar so he can get free healthcare in prison. 2011. Mail Online. Retrieved August 12, 2013, from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2006090/Unemployed-Richard-Verone-tries-rob-bank-dollar-free-healthcare-prison.html