Criminal Theories Evaluation - Essay Example

Before deciding to commit a crime, the criminal weighs out the possible results of his action including the risk of arrest, the severity of the punishment if apprehended, and also the reward in monetary terms, as well as esteem with their peers or individual enjoyment (Siegel, 105). The difficulty in committing the crime also counts, as well as whether the rewards are worth the effort and even the best place to commit the crime, within his neighborhood or elsewhere.  If the risks perceived are small, the rewards and excitement are high, and the criminal gains the likelihood of committing the crime again. On the other hand, if the risks outweigh the rewards, the offender foregoes the crime: if they have a good chance of apprehension, the fear of punishment or consequences, damage to their reputation, and feelings of guilt or shame (Cole, Smit,h and DeJong, 64). Other evaluations include familiarity with the target and how easy it is to commit the crime.

In this theory, the criminal uses opportunistic everyday routines that involve the family such as shopping, work, leisure, and schooling. These, together with factors such as lack of a guardian, the presence of a target, and the motivated criminal are the context for criminal opportunities (Siegel, 71). The guardian’s presence would deter potential offenders from committing the crime for instance door staff, security guards, police patrols, neighbors, and friends. The target should be accessible and may include an expensive car, goods that can be easily moved, or expensive jewelry, while the offender may be an addict, teenage boy, or unemployed person. These three elements must be present within a routine activity for crime to take place (Schmalleger, 182). For instance, many homes are left unguarded during the day, making them targets of crime. The possibility of a crime being committed by the motivated offender increases when there is an accessible target and the absence of a capable guardian.

This theory argues that humans develop actions from learning experiences. People may alter their behavior according to the elicited response from others (Siegel, 121). Thus, rewards support a particular behavior while punishments extinguish another. Crime, especially violent acts, is viewed as a life response that has been learned. People are not born possessing the ability to act in violent ways but rather learn through experiences in their lives (Schmalleger, 231). Though physical and mental traits may cause a person to be predisposed to violence, their violent tendencies are activated by environmental factors. Children who modeled their behavior around violent adults most likely pick up the behavior and sometimes the patterns of violence persist even in relationships. For instance, a young boy who grew up watching his father beat up his mother will most likely be violent towards his wife and children. Similarly, children who watch violent programs and movies will most likely acquire violent behavior, and even engage in violent criminal acts.

Thus, the rational choice theory postulates the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain as the motivation for crime. Routine theory observes criminal intentions, suitable targets, and the absence of a capable guardian as acting toward promoting crime. Behavior theory observes that criminal behavior results from learning. An understanding of these theories would be critical in finding appropriate strategies to rehabilitate the affected persons.