rational choice theory?

Question

Andrea Yates could be an example to answer these questions.


How is criminal behavior explicable according to rational choice theory?

What crime control strategies are effective according to rational choice thery?

Hpw could crimes like this be prevented according to the rational choice theory?

Answer 1

Rational choice theory is about (surprise) choice.

It basically says that all things being equal, people will choose their own behavior and should be held responsible for making those choices, as well as for the consequences of their choices.

As applied to criminal law, it says that in many (if not most) situations, the reason that people commit a crime is because they choose to. So, the theory goes on to say that the criminal justice system needs to figure out why people choose to commit crimes, and what can be done to get them to make different choices.

It also takes into account such affirmative defenses as entrapment, duress and necessity. This where where people have the intent to commit a crime, and do commit a crime, but the reasons (motive) for committing the crime have nothing to do with the crime itself. An example is breaking into a store to steal food because your kids are starving. Or setting a controlled fire to somebody else's barn or rose garden to create a fire-beak, so the 10K acre wildfire coming your way doesn't reach your house or your neighbors' houses. Or where you help someone get illegal prescription drugs because they are sick or in pain and you feel sorry for them, not because you want to be a drug pusher.

So, the reason for making the choice to commit the criminal act becomes relevant, not only for determining guilt and sentencing, but also when looked at from a prevention or deterrence perspective.

The rest of the answer is left as an exercise for the reader.

Answer 2

Coragryph, apparantly, has made the rational choice to do your homework for you. I, on the other hand, choose not to.