The document summarizes key concepts from Chapter Four of Choice Theory: Because They Want To. It discusses the development of rational choice theory and concepts like evaluating crime risks and structuring criminality. It also covers how choice theory views crime as potentially rational and examines approaches to controlling crime through deterrence, incapacitation, and other situational prevention strategies. The implications of choice theory for policies like patrols, three-strikes laws, and the death penalty are also summarized.

1. Larry J. Siegel
www.cengage.com/cj/siegel
Chapter Four
Choice Theory:
Because They Want To
Valerie Bell • University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH

2. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Development of Rational Choice
Theory
– Classical Criminology
– Thinking About Crime
• James Q. Wilson

3. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Concepts of Rational Choice
– Evaluating the Risks of Crime
– Offense-Specific Crime
– Offender-Specific Crime

4. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Concepts of Rational Choice
– Structuring Criminality
• Economic need/opportunity
• Evaluating personal traits and experience
• Criminal expertise

5. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Concepts of Rational Choice
– Structuring Crime
• Choosing the place of crime
• Choosing targets

6. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Is Crime Rational?
– Is theft rational?
– Is drug use rational?
– Can violence be rational?

7. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Why Do People Commit Crime?
– Edgework
– Seductions of crime

8. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Controlling Crime
– Situational Crime Prevention
• Criminal acts will be avoided if:
– potential targets are carefully guarded
– the means to commit crime are controlled
– potential offenders are carefully monitored

9. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Controlling Crime
– Crime Prevention Strategies
• Increase the effort needed to commit crime
• Increase the risk of committing crime
• Reduce rewards of crime
• Induce guilt: increase crime
• Reduce provocation
• Remove excuses

10. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Controlling Crime
– The Costs and Benefits of Situational Crime
Prevention
• Hidden benefits
• Hidden costs

11. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• General Deterrence
– Perception and Deterrence
– Certainty of Punishment
• Police and Certainty of Punishment
– Severity of Punishment
– Swiftness of Punishment
• Interrelationship of factors

12. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• General Deterrence
– Critique of General Deterrence
• Rationality
• System effectiveness
• Some offenders – and some crimes – are more
“deterrable” than others

13. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Specific Deterrence
– The view that criminal sanctions should be so
powerful that offenders will never repeat their criminal
acts.

14. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Incapacitation
– Incapacitation Effect
• Incarceration
• Recidivism
– Can Incapacitation Reduce Crime?

15. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Can Incapacitation Reduce Crime?
– Incapacitation Effect
• Incarceration
• Recidivism

16. Choice Theory: Because They Want To
• Policy Implications of Choice Theory
– Highly Visible Police Patrols
– “Three Strikes and You’re Out”
– Death Penalty