SOC 2700 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Routine Activity Theory, Deterrence Theory, Bounded Rationality

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2700
• Professor: Stephanie Howells

Document Summary

O enders are no di erent than non-o enders they just make di erent choices that tend to be bad. Beccaria and bentham discuss how punishment is important for deterring people from crime. They argue that we are all rational beings that weigh the pros and cons of things. They state that we all engage in cost-bene t analysis by analyzing what the costs and bene ts of the crime are. So from the classical school deterrence theory emerges. This is a micro level theory as it looks at the individual and why they would commit crime. The costs of a crime are negative. Psychic costs: feeling of guilt or remorse. Opportunity costs: if you commit a crime it might a ect your future decisions; for example, gaining a criminal record might not allow you to become a police o cer.