Theory of Crime. Rational Choice Theory. Social Sciences Essay

Rational Choice Theory
Student’s Name
Institution
Rational Choice Theory
There are many theories that seek to explain criminal behaviors and the rational choice theory is an interesting one. The theory by Derek B. Cornish and Ronald V. Clarke proposes that offenders weigh the benefits, costs, and opportunities associated with a criminal act before engaging in it (Hagan & Daigle, 2019). In this theory, the argument is not that offenders employ rationality when they make decisions but rather that they take into consideration the benefits and costs of engaging in the criminal act. The choice to commit a crime may be hindered by factors such as individual traits, social factors, and attitudes towards crime (Hagan & Daigle, 2019). According to rational choice theorists, the behavior of an individual is only partly rational but most offenders understand well what they are getting into. To deter crime, the focus lies in improving prevention or reducing the opportunity for potential offenders to commit...