Rational Choice Theory Paper
In 2013 Ethan Couch a 16 year old boy killed four people while driving while intoxicated. Earlier that day, couch and some friends had stolen beer from their local Walmart and three hours after the crash, his blood alcohol content of 0.24 three times the legal limit. Instead of serving 20 years the maximum behind bars. Judge Jean Boyd ruled he would serve no jail time due to the fact of him suffering from affluenza. Instead he was given 10 years of probation, and the judge ordered his parents to pay for a treatment facility causing a stir and an uproar between the families of the deceased and the media. How is it that he was able to get away with such negligence? The families of the victims wasn’t given any justice when the verdict was ruled.
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The Couch’s lawyer used Affluenza as a defense stating that he suffered from a psychological malaise supposedly affecting wealthy young people, symptoms of which include a lack of motivation, feelings of guilt, and a sense of isolation. Two theories that can be applied to this case would be the Rational Choice Theory and the Situational Choice Theory. According to Schmallegar, F. (2015). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction. RCT is a perspective that holds criminality is the result of conscious choice and predict that individuals choose to commit crime when the benefits outweigh the cost of disobeying the law. RCT can be tied to Ethan Couch case because he made a conscious choice to go out and steal beer then three hours later drink and drive. Couch knew the consequences for his actions ahead of time but clearly he felt that the benefits outweigh the cost of disobeying the law and unfortunately it resulted in four deaths. He freely committed the crimes no one forced him into anything it was his own personal choice. Situational Choice Theory can be applied to this case also due to the fact that SCT is a function of choices and decisions made within a context of situational constraints and opportunities. Couch make the choice and decision to drive
The Couch’s lawyer used Affluenza as a defense stating that he suffered from a psychological malaise supposedly affecting wealthy young people, symptoms of which include a lack of motivation, feelings of guilt, and a sense of isolation. Two theories that can be applied to this case would be the Rational Choice Theory and the Situational Choice Theory. According to Schmallegar, F. (2015). Criminology Today: An Integrative Introduction. RCT is a perspective that holds criminality is the result of conscious choice and predict that individuals choose to commit crime when the benefits outweigh the cost of disobeying the law. RCT can be tied to Ethan Couch case because he made a conscious choice to go out and steal beer then three hours later drink and drive. Couch knew the consequences for his actions ahead of time but clearly he felt that the benefits outweigh the cost of disobeying the law and unfortunately it resulted in four deaths. He freely committed the crimes no one forced him into anything it was his own personal choice. Situational Choice Theory can be applied to this case also due to the fact that SCT is a function of choices and decisions made within a context of situational constraints and opportunities. Couch make the choice and decision to drive