Essay about Burglary and the Rational Choice Theory

There are numerous theories as to why a crime is committed. Rational choice theory, which is a subset of classical theory, says that before people commit a crime they think about what they are going to do. They weigh the pros and cons before committing the criminal act. The rational choice theory is well suited for the causation of burglary. The support for this theory is that burglars do not commit crime for the fun of it or just because they want to. It is usually because they need money to keep their heads above water. In their situation, they do not see any other way than to steal to make a living. The opposition for rational choice theory is that criminals do not think before they act as they may be incapable of thinking†¦show more content†¦These criminals dont have any money because they do not have jobs or they have underpaid jobs. The jobs they can get are unskilled, low paying ones. Burglars are generally uneducated or lazy. They spend all their money on d rugs and then dont have money to pay for necessities. The rational choice theory is a plausible explanation as to what causes a person to burglarize. Rational choice theory holds that â€Å"criminality is largely the result of conscious choices that people make† (Schmallegar, 2011, p. 82). This means that before a person takes criminal actions, they will weigh whether committing those actions will be profitable to them versus the costs of being arrested. The criminals are using rational thinking and logic to decide rather to commit their crime or stay within the law. The rational choice theory gives insight in to why otherwise law abiding citizens would commit crime. Most burglars do not burglarize because they want something specific from the victims property nor are they saving the cash proceeds for a long-term goal. They burglarize because they need the money right now to pay off bills, buy food and clothes for their family or to purchase alcohol and illegal drugs. Most burglars would turn to making an honest living, but, even that does not meet their immediate desires for cash. Nor would the earned wages support their lifestyles. (Wright Decker, 1994). Their rationalization is â€Å"what would I rather be doing?† Is itShow MoreRelatedCriminology : Criminal Behavior And Society Essay1182 Words   |  5 Pagessocietal theory of Durkenheim, and the political philosophy of Marx. According to Siegel, criminological theories are important in understanding criminality. Examining why people commit crime is very important in the ongoing debate of how crime should be handled and prevented. Many theories come forth over the years, and they continue to be explored, individually and in combination, as criminologists seek the best solutions in ultimately reducing the types and levels of crime. 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