CRIM 101 Chapter 11: Crim 101 Text
22 Nov 2016
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Document Summary
Choice theory- the framework for understanding how decisions are made by individuals by weighing the perceived costs and benefits of an action. Rational choice theory- a modern version of classical school thinking originating in economies; it assumes that humans are rational and have free will, and that offenders make conscious choices to commit crime based on cost-benefit analysis. Everybody does it!- thomas gabor says committing crime is like the common cold; nobody is immune, but not all equally susceptible. Bounded rationality- decisions are often made imperfectly as best guesses given available information and time constraints, decisions are bounded by the limits of our knowledge and circumstances and so our rationality is bounded. Utility maximization- choices are made based on what one perceives will provide the greatest reward for the lowest costs. Limited rationality refers to decisions that are limited by a lack of information or decisions made in circumstances where the cost-benefit were not properly assessed.
