Download Rational Choice Theory and Motivations to Crime and more Lecture notes Sociology in PDF only on Docsity! Riya Vaishnav 04/30/2023 Professor Liss Sociology Assignment 5: Criminology 1. In what ways might rational choice theory help explain motivations to crime in both stories? Use at least one piece of supporting evidence in your argumentation and include in-text citations and works cited. Rational choice theory helps explain motivations to crime in both stories from stating that criminals are simple humans who make choices based on a cost-benefit analysis. With Jay Z, he started selling cocaine because he saw it as a way to make money. In the video, he states, “Sorry we woke up one day and said we want to be the biggest drug dealers in the world you know we were we weren't given any opportunities the difference between Bill Gates and you know Billy G.” (Teaquest, 1:10:29-1:10:35) With Michael Franzese, he could have been in the mafia to gain power and dominance in society. In the video, it states, “it's that mentality like some people that's not even part of life just like that why would why would somebody want to do something like that you need to be involved in a life where to be an informant know don't give a [ __ ] I don't care they give me a hundred years you know there's just there are people say but I think I'm not like that no no do” (Tyson, 16:39-16:51) 2. In what ways does rational choice theory fail to explain motivations to crime in both stories? Use at least one piece of supporting evidence in your argumentation and include in-text citations and works cited. Rational choice theory fail to explain motivations to crime in both stories because it does not discuss that people do realize the consequences of their actions but they still commit crimes. In Jay Z’s experience, he may have sold cocaine but he was making money so that kept him going. In the video, it states, “because of the opportunities we wasn't we were in the fourth wasn't afforded these opportunities so we did what was in front of us yeah and what was in front of us it was drugs it was everywhere you gotta figure at the time you put the time into context and of course we made bad decisions I'm not saying every decision I made was great we 16 years old of course we gonna make bad decision it just so happened that our decisions were life-and-death right you know that that doesn't happen and that's the biggest day between the suburbs a 16 year old” (Teaquest, 1:10:58-1:11:23) In Michael Franzese’s situation, he may have joined the mafia for the power even though he knew the risks. In the video, he states, “part of his many people take the life that well that life thought gave them honor even lean so that's what he did so something yeah it Mike you know what the best thing that happened to that life on the street the movie The Godfather yeah I'm telling you I was I was younger than it was in myself it was in 70s but you know Joe Colombo was involved in that movie I remember really oh yeah.” (Tyson, 17:19-17:33)
