Russian Mafia Rational Choice Theory

The Russian Mafia: Classical Rational Theory - Brandon Sookraj
Define Classical Theory: Basic idea and Major Theorist
According to rational choice theory people choose to commit crimes if the benefits outweighs the repercussions. This clearly describes how the Russian mafia gained power in Alexander Shvarts article on the Russian mafia as people choose to join the mafia or use their services and commit these illegal acts as what they gained in return outweighed the consequences. Alexanders Shvarts article uses Diageo Gambetta of the growth of the mafia in Sicily to set out the conditions that would need to be met to compare the growth of the Sicilian mafia to the Russian mafia. Shvarts uses the outlined conditions to prove that the growth
of the Russian mafia is comparable to the Sicilian mafia and provides evidence that helps bring comparisons between the two groups. In the Article Shvarts applies the rational choice theory to the Russian mafia by expanding on the growth of privately owned businesses. Shvarts discusses the lack of laws and protection the state fails to provide to business owners, while instituting a high tax and how the transition to a market economy impacted the growth of the Russian Mafia. Shvarts states the choice made by most businesses is turn to the Russian mafia to get the protection and guarantees the state fails to provide, while also avoiding paying the high amounts of tax during the transition to a market economy. This can be seen as a rational choice as the owners choose to turn to illegal forms of protection as the benefits they gained from paying the mafia outweighs following the state.
The Role of Law, the Definition of Crime, and the Image of the Criminal: Rational Choice Theory
According to rational choice theory law an crime is defined by two factors; 1) it is offense specific meaning that it is based on the characteristics of the crime and what the rewards are, 2) it also has to be offender specific meaning criminal would also have to take into account whether they have the required skills to complete the task. In Shvarts article this is shown as he states “Members of the Russian Mafia commit crimes after considering the risks of detection and punishment for the crime as well as the reward of completing the act successfully” (Shvarts, 2001, p .50). This shows that the Russian Mafia did follow the definition of rational choice theory as they assessed the risk and reward for a crime while determine if they possessed the required skill to complete the task. In Shvarts article “Mafia are the meeting places of all sort of tendencies existing within their societies: the defense of the entire society against threats to its traditional way of life” (Shvarts, 2001 p. 33). Furthermore people who joined the mafia had to be self-seeking and sound of mind for the rational choice theory to apply. Shvarts provides proof to this as “Members of the Russian Mafia commit crimes after considering the risks of detection and punishment for the crime as well as the reward of completing the act successfully” (Shvarts, 2001, p. 50). This shows that people who joined the mafia were rational as they could assess whether or not it was worth it to commit to a task showing that they possessed rational thinking.
Casual Logic
According to rational choice theory people choose to commit crime depending on the cost the criminal justice system associated with the crime. They would consider 5 components which are described in Shvarts Article. First, People willing joined or used the Mafia, “The working class is demoralized by declining standard of living, by the lack of prospects and social guarantees… many have resorted to taking justice into their own hands with the help of the mafia” (Shvarts, 2001, p. 52). Secondly, They lack fear of punishment due to corruption “According to MVD figures for 1994, corrupt officials assisted one out of every seven organized criminal formations” (Shvarts, 2001, p. 53), this corruption resulted in less fear of punishment due to the large amount of criminal pain off officers. Third, an ineffective criminal justice system is also a component “corrupt officials assisted one out of every seven organized criminal formations…50% of criminal profit went to corrupt officials” (Shvarts, 2001, p. 53). This also shows lack of a criminal justice system as mafia members would pay off police officers and officials. Fourth, there also had to be available unguarded targets “If mafia groups want to supply credible protection they needed to be stronger than their clients” (Shvarts, 2001, p. 54). This shows the availability of unguarded targets as mafia would pressure people who they deemed weaker than them and pressured them into paying for protection. Finally, Opportunistic situations are the final component required “One third of the Russian population is living below the official poverty line…at the economical level, financial fraud embezzlement of funds and stealing of public, private, and state property are becoming more professional and organized” (Shvarts, 2001, p. 53). Due to the struggles with corruption and poverty the country was facing it seemed like the most opportunistic time for the Russian mafia to move in and begin their business.
Criminal Justice System Implications: Classical/Rational Choice Theory
In regards to the solutions to crime according to rational choice theory we should increase the risk involved, reduce the payoff, increase the effort required, and increase the penalties for committing the crimes. Relating this back to Shvarts article on the Russia Mafia by implementing this solution they would reduce crime by a major factor. By increasing the risk involved with being involved with the mafia in any way, such as instituting jail time this would help lower the impact the Russian mafia would have. Secondly, reducing the payoff would also help lower the influence of the mafia as from a rational perspective the risks involved with the crime would outweigh the rewards deterring people from involving themselves with the mafia from in any way. Furthermore, increasing the effort required to being involved with the mafia by increasing creating laws and regulation that benefit businesses including protection would result in a difficult time for the Russian mafia in terms of gaining business. Lastly, increasing the penalties for being involved with the Russian mafia in any way would also lower their influence as also from a rational perspective the risks involved and the penalties would outweigh the reward, making any involvement less enticing.
Closing:
Overall, Shvarts applied a ration choice theory approach in his article as through multiple conditions he sets using Gambetta’s uses of Rational choice theory with the Sicilian mafia and in his article he shows proof that the Russian mafia had become dominant in the late 1980 because they followed all the requirements.
“I begin by looking at the state of mind of the “rational criminal” Then,, I summarize Gambetta’s model to the Sicilian Mafia…I go on to apply Gambetta’s model to the Russian Mafia” (Shvarts, 2001, p.30). “Gambetta’s explains the emergence of the Italian Mafia in southern Italy as result of the lack of trust in the Italian State. This produced a high potential demand for protection, and the Mafia supplied such protection to anyone who wanted to but it” (Shvarts, 2001, p.35). Shvarts applies the model to with rational choice theory to explain how and why the Russian Mafia became so dominant in the late 1980s. “using the services of the Russian Mafia or joining the Russian Mafia is rational…for all those who share common problems because most of the people in the same predicament in Russia turn to organized crime for assistance” (Shvarts, 2001, p.50). With the transition to a market economy and the lack of protection given to citizens by the Russian government many people chose to join or use the services of the Russian Mafia as it was beneficial for both parties when thought through rationally. This shows how the Russian Mafia gain power in the Late 1980s as they were able to see an opportunity and choose to follow through with it as rationally thinking the benefits outweighed the repercussions. The choice to use rational choice was effective as Shvarts provided information that help support the requirements needed to prove theory. Two criticisms I have about Shvarts article is ignores other factors that could influence a person’s decision, and fails to consider irrational behavior. First, his article ignores other factors that could influence a
person’s decision. This is show as the article focuses solely on Russian Mafia’s decisions being only based on rational choice. I find this to be an issue as other theories such as social and sociological factors could also influence a person’s decision, which he does not take into account in the article. Secondly, Shvarts also fails to consider irrational behavior. This also should have been taken into account when discussing the emergence of the Russian Mafia and their decisions could also be seen as irrational behavior made by individuals. To conclude, he should have considered the decisions made as irrational as well because as the behavior would be seen as not normal from society’s perspective and could have helped expanded his theory as he would have shown a comparison between the behavior being Rational or irrational.

References:
Siegel, L. J., & McCormick, C. R. (2016).Criminology in Canada: theories, patterns, and typologies. Toronto: Nelson Education.
Shvarts, A. (2001). The Russian Mafia: Do Rational Choice Models Apply? Michigan Sociological Association, 15, 29-63.