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Rational choice modeling has a long history in criminology.This method was designed by Cornish and Clarke to assist in thinking about situational crime prevention. [1] In this context, the belief that crime generally reflects rational decision-making by potential criminals is sometimes called the rational choice theory of crime.
Crime opportunity theory suggests that offenders make rational choices and thus choose targets that offer a high reward with little effort and risk. The occurrence of a crime depends on two things: the presence of at least one motivated offender who is ready and willing to engage in a crime, and the conditions of the environment in which that offender is situated, to wit, opportunities for crime.
The rational choice model, also called rational choice theory refers to a set of guidelines that help understand economic and social behaviour. [1] The theory originated in the eighteenth century and can be traced back to the political economist and philosopher Adam Smith . [ 2 ]
Rational choice theory argues that criminals, like other people, weigh costs or risks and benefits when deciding whether to commit crime and think in economic terms. [57] They will also try to minimize risks of crime by considering the time, place, and other situational factors.
A graphical model of the routine activity theory. The theory stipulates three necessary conditions for most crime; a likely offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian, coming together in time and space. The lack of any of the three elements is sufficient to prevent a crime which requires offender-victim contact.
When crime and recidivism are perceived to be a problem, the first political reaction is to call for increased policing, stiffer penalties, and increased monitoring and surveillance for those released on parole. Intuitively, politicians see a correlation between the certainty and severity of punishment, and the choice whether to commit crime.
Such patterns constitute the interaction of time, space, and activity of a serial offender's criminal behavior. The attempt is made to ascribe rational motives to the offender's choice of places and times; investigators may invoke routine activity theory and rational choice theory in relation to the location of crimes.
Rational Choice Theory: A Crime-Related Perspective. In G. Ritzer (Ed.), Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology: Blackwell Publishing.) Additionally, Becker was more of a rational choice theorist than Cornish and Clarke (the latter presenting a very broad theory of rational choice opposed to the narrow theory by Becker).