CMY3701
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 8 APRIL 2026
, CMY3701 ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 1 2026
UNIQUE NUMBER: 351504
DUE DATE: 08 April 2026
SECTION A
1.1 Critically evaluate Cornish and Clarke's (1986) Rational Choice Theory as an
explanation for criminal behaviour. In your answer, explain the core assumptions
of the theory, discuss how offenders are thought to make decisions, and provide
contemporary examples.
Rational Choice Theory, developed by Derek Cornish and Ronald Clarke in 1986,
represents a significant contemporary development within the classical school of
criminology. This theory emerged as part of the rational actor model, which views
offenders as active, thinking participants who make calculated decisions about their
criminal involvement (CMY3701 Study Guide, 2021:22). Unlike earlier deterministic
theories that portrayed offenders as actors driven by forces beyond their control,
Rational Choice Theory emphasises that crime is deliberate behaviour undertaken for
personal benefit.
2. Core Assumptions of Rational Choice Theory
Cornish and Clarke's Rational Choice Theory is founded upon several fundamental
propositions that distinguish it from other criminological explanations. According to the
CMY3701 Study Guide (2021:26), the theory's core assumptions can be summarised as
follows:
ASSIGNMENT 1
DUE DATE: 8 APRIL 2026
, CMY3701 ASSIGNMENT 1 SEMESTER 1 2026
UNIQUE NUMBER: 351504
DUE DATE: 08 April 2026
SECTION A
1.1 Critically evaluate Cornish and Clarke's (1986) Rational Choice Theory as an
explanation for criminal behaviour. In your answer, explain the core assumptions
of the theory, discuss how offenders are thought to make decisions, and provide
contemporary examples.
Rational Choice Theory, developed by Derek Cornish and Ronald Clarke in 1986,
represents a significant contemporary development within the classical school of
criminology. This theory emerged as part of the rational actor model, which views
offenders as active, thinking participants who make calculated decisions about their
criminal involvement (CMY3701 Study Guide, 2021:22). Unlike earlier deterministic
theories that portrayed offenders as actors driven by forces beyond their control,
Rational Choice Theory emphasises that crime is deliberate behaviour undertaken for
personal benefit.
2. Core Assumptions of Rational Choice Theory
Cornish and Clarke's Rational Choice Theory is founded upon several fundamental
propositions that distinguish it from other criminological explanations. According to the
CMY3701 Study Guide (2021:26), the theory's core assumptions can be summarised as
follows:
