LEARNING UNIT 2

THEME 1 AND 2
Theme 1: Rational Choice Theory

LO1: Analyse the important concepts related to the Rational Choice Theory.
LO2: Discuss whether crime can be considered rational.
LO3: Explain the CRAVED Model of crime choice.
LO4: Apply the Rational Choice Theory to online sexual harassment.
LO5: Explain the different types of deterrence.
LO6: Discuss incapacitation in relation to deterrence and the rationality of crime.
What Is Rational Choice Theory?

Rational choice theory states that individuals use rational calculations to make
rational choices and achieve outcomes that are aligned with their own personal
objectives. These results are also associated with maximizing an individual's self-
interest. Using rational choice theory is expected to result in outcomes that
provide people with the greatest benefit and satisfaction, given the limited
option they have available.
•Pros of Rational Choice Theory

•Helpful in explaining individual and collective behaviors

•All theories attempt to give meaning to the things we observe in the world.
•Can help to explain behavior that seems irrational

•Cons of Rational Choice Theory

•Individuals do not always make rational decisions.

•In reality, people are often moved by external factors that are not rational, such as
emotions.
•Individuals do not have perfect access to the information they would need to make
the most rational decision every time.
•People value some dollars more than others.
Most criminals are rational decision makers.

If the criminals are motivated by social forces, they are still making the rational decision
to commit the crime; they considered the personal and situational factors before the
crime.

Their personal factor would be why they are doing this; their situational factors is where.

As for the criminals that are motivated by uncontrollable urges or sudden outbursts of
emotion, some of them developed those urges based on the onset of crime. Some
emotional drives are irrational, such as violence in the heat of the moment; some
psychological drives are irrational such as a mania (e.g. kleptomania, pyromania).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruDfKL0xPg4

7min
Theft Rational Target is carefully picked
(page 111 handbook) Avoiding high risk targets
Location carefully picked – avoiding target
hardening
Drug use Rational The side effects of the drug will outweigh the
Page 111 -112 of handbook pleasure the drug brings
Violence Rational Can be culturally or emotionally motivated BUT
rational choice – if the target is bigger or chances of
113 – 114 in handbook losing is high – then another target is directed –
this shows elements of rational thinking,
Violence has specific goals : Control, Retribution,
Deterrence and Reputation
Robbers Rational Targets and detection avoidance
Killers Mostly rational Kill to get rid of someone, prevent detection or
retaliation. Even serial killers do rational planning
Sex crimes and Hate crime Rational Careful planning, target picking, avoidance
Page 115 techniques
CRAVED—Concealable, Removable, Available, Valuable, Enjoyable, and Disposable

Page 116 and 131 in handbook

The acronym CRAVED will help you remember which goods are most stolen.

These are Concealable, Removable, Available, Valuable, Enjoyable, and Disposable:

Concealable. Things that can be hidden in pockets or bags are more vulnerable to
shoplifters and other sneak thieves. Things that are difficult to identify or can easily be
concealed after being stolen are also more at risk.
Removable. The fact that cars and bikes are mobile helps explain why they are so often stolen.
Nor is it surprising that laptop computers are often stolen since these are not only desirable
but also easy to carry. What is easy to carry depends on the kind of theft. Both burglars and
shoplifters steal cigarettes, liquor, medicines, and beauty aids from supermarkets, but burglars
take them in much larger quantities.

Available. Desirable objects that are widely available and easy to find are at higher risk. This
explains why houseowners try to hide jewelry and cash from burglars. It also helps explain
why cars become more at risk of theft as they get older. They become increasingly likely to be
owned by people living in poor neighborhoods with less off-street parking and more offenders
living nearby. Finally, theft waves can result from the availability of an attractive new product,
such as the cell phone, which quickly establishes its own illegal market .
Valuable. Thieves will generally choose the more expensive goods, particularly when they are
stealing to sell. But value is not simply defined in terms of resale value. Thus, when stealing for
their own use, juvenile shoplifters may select goods that confer status among their peers.
Similarly, joyriders are more interested in a car's performance than its financial value.

Enjoyable. Hot products tend to be enjoyable things to own or consume, such as liquor,
tobacco, and DVDs. Thus, residential burglars are more likely to take DVD players and
televisions than equally valuable electronic goods, such as microwave ovens. This may reflect
the pleasure-loving lifestyle of many thieves (and their customers).

Disposable. Only recently has systematic research begun on the relationship between hot
products and theft markets, but it is clear that thieves will tend to select things that are easy to
sell. This helps explain why batteries and disposable razors are among the most frequently
stolen items from American drug stores.
 Apply the Rational Choice Theory to online sexual harassment.

Serial sex offenders were capable of a costs-benefits analysis of their

actions. Their decision making process underscored the importance of both
personal and situational factors, including victim resistance. The findings
suggest that rational choice theory can be relevant to the study of sex
offenders and also suggests that a greater understanding of sex offender
behaviors will come from a greater knowledge of victim behavior.

Rational picking of victim, considering the medium of harassment

The Purposes of Punishment

Punishment has five recognized purposes:

• deterrence,
• incapacitation,
• rehabilitation,
• retribution, and
• restitution.
Specific and General Deterrence

Deterrence prevents future crime by frightening the defendant or the public. The two types of
deterrence are specific and general deterrence.

Specific deterrence applies to an individual defendant. When the government punishes an

individual defendant, he or she is theoretically less likely to commit another crime because of
fear of another similar or worse punishment.

General deterrence applies to the public at large. When the public learns of an individual
defendant’s punishment, the public is theoretically less likely to commit a crime because of fear
of the punishment the defendant experienced.
When the public learns, for example, that an individual defendant was severely punished by a
sentence of life in prison or the death penalty, this knowledge can inspire a deep fear of
criminal prosecution.
Incapacitation
Incapacitation prevents future crime by removing the defendant from society.

Examples of incapacitation are incarceration, house arrest, or execution pursuant to the

death penalty.

Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation prevents future crime by altering a defendant’s behavior.

Examples of rehabilitation include educational and vocational programs, treatment center

placement, and counseling.

The court can combine rehabilitation with incarceration or with probation or parole. In some
states, for example, nonviolent drug offenders must participate in rehabilitation in
combination with probation, rather than submitting to incarceration. This lightens the load of
jails and prisons while lowering recidivism, which means reoffending.
Retribution

Retribution prevents future crime by removing the desire for personal avengement (in the
form of assault, battery, and criminal homicide, for example) against the defendant. When
victims or society discover that the defendant has been adequately punished for a crime,
they achieve a certain satisfaction that our criminal procedure is working effectively, which
enhances faith in law enforcement and our government.

Restitution

Restitution prevents future crime by punishing the defendant financially. Restitution is

when the court orders the criminal defendant to pay the victim for any harm and resembles
a civil litigation damages award. Restitution can be for physical injuries, loss of property or
money, and rarely, emotional distress. It can also be a fine that covers some of the costs of
the criminal prosecution and punishment.
Discussion – is incapacitation a sound strategy to reduce crime

Costly, ineffective if longer sentence

Page 128
Theme 2: Biological Positivism and Biosocial Theory
LO7: Analyse Biological Positivism.
LO8: Discuss the Biosocial Theories.
LO9: Discuss the implications of the biological explanations of crime.
LO10: Evaluate the appropriateness of the various biological theories in analysing crime.
LO11: Apply the Biological Perspectives to a given case study.
Positivism: It is Social Science using SCIENCE that evaluate human behavior as a product
of Social, Biological psychological and economic factors

It has two main elements:

1. All true knowledge is acquired by observation v conjecture / belief – “all babies are
born innocent” – is a worthless statement

2. For research to be valid – scientific methods must be used. Thus identifying a

problem, collecting data, forming a hypotheses, conducting experiments and
interpret the data.
Biological explanations of crime assume that some people are 'born criminals', who
are physiologically distinct from non-criminals. The most famous proponent of this
approach is Cesare Lombroso. Lombroso's work has long since fallen out of favour.

The contours of the skull and brain were studied and fascial features as how criminals
looked were developed.

The Trait theories were developed

What is individual trait theory?

The individual trait theory of criminology says that certain personality traits make
people more likely to become criminals. In other words you were born a criminal.
That effects their social functioning – irrespective of other factors – they will be
criminals
Differential susceptibility theory

Stipulates that some children are more susceptible than others to both
supportive and adverse developmental experiences/exposures.

Some people have physical or mental traits which makes them more
open to negative environmental influences.

Page 144 in handbook

Discuss the Biosocial Theories
What is the Biosocial theory in criminology?

Biosocial criminology posits that it's not just environmental and social factors
affecting criminal behavior but biological factors as well. Studies show that
interaction of biological factors and social factors provide the perfect playing ground
for an individual to develop criminal behaviors.
Summery on Page 157
Discuss the implications of the biological explanations of crime.
Today, their research is debunked because of poor
methodology, testing, and logic. Biological views fell out
of favor in the early 20th century
Programs Developed from Trait Theory

'Primary Personality Programs’

• Child services programs to monitor a child's development

• Parenting programs to educate and improve child care
• Parenting skills programs to improve bonds
• Educational programs to help improve child development and skills.
'Secondary Personality Programs’

• Cognitive problem-solving skills training

• Anger control training
• Social interaction training to improve relationships and emotional responses
• Multi-dimensional family-based, school-based, and community-based therapy
to improve the dynamics of relationships and reactions.

'Tertiary Personality Programs’

• Family therapy
• Foster care therapy
• Cognitive based treatment programs designed to reduce recidivism and
offending through decision-making and behavior adaptations.
Researchers have identified other biological factors associated with increased violence
and aggressiveness, including alcohol intoxication, the use of some drugs (e.g., crack
cocaine), diet, and the ingestion of toxic substances.

Drinking alcohol has tended to increase criminality temporarily, and the long-term
effects of ingesting lead (such as is found in lead-based paint) have generally been
associated with long-term increases in criminality.
Further, certain types of head injuries and complications during pregnancy or birth are
correlated with long-term increases in the tendency of the child to commit crime.

The direction of causation in these cases is clearer than with serotonin and testosterone
but not entirely certain.

For example, it could be the case that some other nonbiological intervening factor (e.g.,
poverty) causes the increased tendency to commit crime and also causes the increased
tendency to experience complications during pregnancy and birth, to ingest lead and
other toxins, and to abuse alcohol.
Rudy Eugene

One of the first cases that came to mind were the recent acts that blamed on those using
so-called bath salts. Cloud Nine, also known as Ivory Wave, was implicated in the recent
wave of cannibal attacks throughout the United States in summer 2012. In one, Rudy
Eugene, a resident of Miami made a feast out of a homeless man’s face. Eugene was shot
by a Miami cop, but the homeless man had already lost 75 percent of his face. Thankfully
the homeless man survived.
On May 26, 2012, Rudy Eugene attacked and maimed Ronald Poppo, a homeless man,
on the MacArthur Causeway in Miami, Florida, making headlines worldwide. During
the 18-minute filmed encounter, Eugene accused Poppo of stealing his Bible, beat him
unconscious, removed Poppo's pants, and bit off most of Poppo's face above the
beard (including his left eye), leaving him blind in both eyes.

His was born from his immigrant parents, who divorced months after his birth.
Eugene never made contact with his father, who died when he was six. As a child he
attended the Bethel Evangelical Baptist Church with his families on most Sundays.
Eugene had been arrested eight times since he was 16, with the first arrest being
for an assault in 1997.
On February 25, 2004, Eugene broke a table, smashed items around the house,
and pushed his mother out of the kitchen. Afterward, his mother told officers
that he had said, "I'll put a gun to your head and kill you." This crime led to his
serving probation for resisting an officer without violence. The remaining
charges were mainly related to marijuana, which he had expressed a desire to
quit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgfisT3DXZY
Theme 3: Psychological Trait Theory

Chapter 5
LO12:Explain the main propositions of Psychodynamic Theory.
LO13: Discuss the relationship between mental disorders and specific crimes.
LO14: Explain the various components of Behavioural Theory.
LO15: Discuss the cognitive processes linked to crime.
LO16: Provide a critique of the psychological perspectives.
LO17: Apply Cognitive Script Theory to Intimate Partner Violence (IPV).
LO18: Evaluate the policy implications of Trait Theories.
Explain the main propositions of Psychodynamic Theory
Psychodynamic theory is comprised of a set of psychological
theories that arise from the ideas that humans are often driven
by unconscious motivations and that adult personality and
relationships are often the result of childhood experiences

What is the main idea of psychodynamic theory?

Psychodynamic theory states that events in our childhood have

a great influence on our adult lives, shaping our personality.
Events that occur in childhood can remain in the unconscious,
and cause problems as adults.
Discuss the relationship between mental disorders and specific crimes
Is there a relationship between mental disorder and crime?

Certain psychiatric conditions do increase a person's risk of committing a crime.

Research suggests that patients with mental illness may be more prone to
violence if they do not receive adequate treatment, are actively experiencing
delusions, or have long-standing paranoia.
The public perception of psychiatric patients as dangerous individuals is often
rooted in the portrayal of criminals in the media as "crazy" individuals.

A large body of data suggests otherwise. People with mental illness are more
likely to be a victim of violent crime than the perpetrator.

This bias extends all the way to the criminal justice system, where persons with
mental illness get treated as criminals, arrested, charged, and jailed for a longer
time in jail compared to the general population.
Certain psychiatric conditions do increase a person’s risk of committing a
crime.

Research suggests that patients with mental illness may be more prone
to violence if they do not receive adequate treatment, are actively
experiencing delusions, or have long-standing paranoia. Such patients
are often under the influence of their psychiatric illness such as
command hallucinations.

Other comorbidities include conditions such as substance use disorder,

unemployment, homelessness, and secondary effects of mental illness
such as cognitive impairment, compound the risk of committing a violent
crime.
Researchers analyzed 429 crimes committed by 143 offenders with
three major types of mental illness and found that 3 percent of their
crimes were directly related to symptoms of major depression, 4
percent to symptoms of schizophrenia disorders and 10 percent to
symptoms of bipolar disorder
Explain the various components of Behavioural Theory.
This is a form of conditioning, where behavior is learned and reinforced
by rewards or punishment.

So, if a person is in the company of those who condone and even reward
criminal behavior – especially a figure of authority – then they will
continue to engage in that behavior.
The social learning theory of crime argues that some people learn to
commit crimes through the same process through which others learn to
conform. The theory assumes that people, at birth, have neither a
motivation to commit crime nor to conform.

Page 165
Cognitive script theory refers to assumed knowledge structures that outline
how everyday events unfold.

The classic example of a script involves the typical sequence of events that
occur when a person drinks in a restaurant: finding a seat, reading the menu,
ordering drinks from the waiter.

Script theory is a psychological theory which posits that human behaviour

largely falls into patterns called "scripts" because they function “automatic” to
the way a written script does, by providing a program for action.
When the relationship goes “off script” the partner can resort to violence to restore the
script
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxX-WBvKOUo

10 min

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn6lVV5T0qw

35 min
THANK YOU!
TRISH ARMSTRONG