Download Rational Offender - Criminological Theory - Lecture Slides and more Slides Criminology in PDF only on Docsity! The Rational Offender The “Classical School” Deterrence Theory Rational Choice Theory Routine Activities Theory Docsity.com Social Context of the “Classical” School • Prior to the 1700s – “The devil made me do it” • Punishments/justice system? Docsity.com Beccaria II • What is the purpose of punishment? – “Prevent the criminal from doing further injury to society, and to prevent others from committing the like offense.” • Necessary conditions for this? – Proportion between crimes and punishment – Advantage of immediate punishment – Certainty more important than severity Docsity.com The Classical School Fades • By the early 1900s, most dismissed this as a valid theory of criminal behavior • What emerged is called the “Positive school” – Changes in legal system didn’t lower crime rates – “Armchair theorizing” questioned – Humans as “determined” rather than “rational” • From early 1900s until the 1970s, the positive school was unchallenged – Sociology was dominant force (search for root cause) Docsity.com Rebirth of Deterrence • Social Context of U.S. in the 1970s • James Q Wilson, Thinking About Crime – There are no “root causes of crime” • Martinson – “Nothing Works” in rehabilitation • Murray – “Punishment Programs” rather than rehab programs • Economists enter Criminology – Becker’s “Rational Choice” article Docsity.com Deterrence Theory • Criminal behavior (or crime rates) vary directly with _______ of FORMAL punishment. – Certainty – Severity – Swiftness • MICRO or MACRO? • Specific or General Docsity.com Marginal versus Absolute • Absolute deterrence: the existence of formal punishment reduces crime • Marginal: increases in existing formal punishment reduces crime further Docsity.com General Deterrence (Macro) • What should reduce crime rates? • Evidence: – Severity of Punishment • Death Penalty Research – Certainty of Punishment • Experiments in Certainty (KC patrol) – Swiftness of Punishment? Docsity.com Specific Deterrence • A person who commits a crime and is punished is less likely to commit additional crimes. – Swift, Certain, Severe (Marginal) • How test these propositions? Docsity.com Testing Specific Deterrence • Prison vs. Probation? – Perhaps, “time in prison” or “type of prison” • More realistically – Probation vs. Intensive Probation – Probation vs. Boot Camp – Sherriff Joe’s pink underwear tent camp study Docsity.com Larry Sherman’s Domestic Violence Experiments – Random assignment of police response to D.V. • Counsel • Separate • Arrest – Minneapolis results = very positive (arrest decreases crime) • Leads to “Mandatory Arrest” • BUT…. Docsity.com Why little support for deterrence? • We can’t get certain, severe, swift enough • The theory is based on bad assumptions – How rational are we? – Equality of opportunity, pleasure, pain? • “Marginal” deterrence Docsity.com POLICY IMPLICATIONS • General Deterrence: certain, swift, and severe punishment reduces crime rates, or the probability that an individual will offend • Specific Deterrence: CS&S punishment reduces recidivism • Can’t/Won’t make sentences swift, certain, and severe enough? – Incapacitate Docsity.com
