CMY3701
CMY3701 Part 1: The rational actor
model of crime and criminal behavior +
Theme 1
Aggravating circumstances - Cause offender to be punished more severely
Ex. rape of a child is more serious than rape of adult
Classical Criminology - - Emphasises free will
- Views criminal act as consciously carried out
- Offender is rational: weighs up advantages and disadvantages
Main focus: CJS = if it operated in a consistent and predictable way it would
eliminate crime
Criminal event decision - Shorter processes that use more limited info relating to
immediate circumstances and situations
Criminal involvement - Process: Individuals choose to become involved in forms
of crime, continue and desist later
Bounded rationality - Poor decisions based on incomplete info
Mitigating cirumstances - Result in more lenient sentences
Ex. being a first-time offender
CMY3701
, CMY3701
Neo-classical school - Scientific criminology AKA Positivism
Believe that rehab is invalid
Routine activities theory (Marcus Felcon) - 3 factors contribute to crime
Motivated offender
Suitable victim
Absence of capable guardian
Rational choice theory - Emphasises the importance of rationality in human action,
even if limited or bounded
Emphasises decision making involved in offending
Social contract - When an individual is bound by society by their own consent.
Society is responsible to them
Introduction to the rational school - - Grew out of a group of Enlightenment
philosophers in the 8th century
- Humans should be addressees by reason NOT religion or superstition
- Explanations of crime moving from sin to rationality, individual responsibility
and free choice which influenced the law
- Law and punishment moved to be predictable and non-discriminatory, humane
and effective
- Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Betham
Punishment should be (4) - 1. Avoid unnecessary suffering
2. Proportionate to the crime
CMY3701
CMY3701 Part 1: The rational actor
model of crime and criminal behavior +
Theme 1
Aggravating circumstances - Cause offender to be punished more severely
Ex. rape of a child is more serious than rape of adult
Classical Criminology - - Emphasises free will
- Views criminal act as consciously carried out
- Offender is rational: weighs up advantages and disadvantages
Main focus: CJS = if it operated in a consistent and predictable way it would
eliminate crime
Criminal event decision - Shorter processes that use more limited info relating to
immediate circumstances and situations
Criminal involvement - Process: Individuals choose to become involved in forms
of crime, continue and desist later
Bounded rationality - Poor decisions based on incomplete info
Mitigating cirumstances - Result in more lenient sentences
Ex. being a first-time offender
CMY3701
, CMY3701
Neo-classical school - Scientific criminology AKA Positivism
Believe that rehab is invalid
Routine activities theory (Marcus Felcon) - 3 factors contribute to crime
Motivated offender
Suitable victim
Absence of capable guardian
Rational choice theory - Emphasises the importance of rationality in human action,
even if limited or bounded
Emphasises decision making involved in offending
Social contract - When an individual is bound by society by their own consent.
Society is responsible to them
Introduction to the rational school - - Grew out of a group of Enlightenment
philosophers in the 8th century
- Humans should be addressees by reason NOT religion or superstition
- Explanations of crime moving from sin to rationality, individual responsibility
and free choice which influenced the law
- Law and punishment moved to be predictable and non-discriminatory, humane
and effective
- Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Betham
Punishment should be (4) - 1. Avoid unnecessary suffering
2. Proportionate to the crime
CMY3701
