14 Apr 2012
School
Department
Course
Professor
Week 6 (before midterm)
RATIONAL THEORIES
THE SOCIAL CONTEXT
Jimmy Carter was President of us 1977-1981
US Embassy staff in Tehran taken hostage by Iranians
Russians invaded Afghanistan in 1979
Russians invaded Afghanistan
THE SOCIAL CONTEXT cont.
Iranian Revolution 1979 created a worldwide energy crisis
US losing an ally in the Shah of Iran and Russia invading a nearby country successfully
Crime rates went straight through the roof, starting in late 1960’s and climbing right through
early 1980’s
A NEW SHERIFF RIDES INTO TOWN
Welfare cuts.
Increased defense spending.
“Get tough on crime” program.
War on drugs
Because acceptable to blame criminals, rather than society for increasing crime rates and
―moral decay‖ WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND
“Rational” theories subscribe to Classical School notions of rational choice deterrence
and punishments
Criminal offenders are unrestrained, pleasure-seekers who don’t require lot of motivation to
engage in crime but who might be deterred by punishment or hardened target
THE THREE PROPERTIES OF DETERRENCE
>Severity>Certainty >Celerity
RATIONAL CHOICE
Nothing unique about criminal behavior
Criminals want the same things that we do. $$$ and fun, fun, fun
Offenders will weigh the possible benefits from the crime against the potential pain or harm
to themselves
TOGETHERNESS
- routine activities
-lifestyles theory