Routine Activities and Rational Choice Theories Routine Activities Slides: 10 Download presentation Routine Activities and Rational Choice Theories Routine Activities Theory • Direct contact predatory violations • Illegal activities feed off of legal activities Three Necessary Conditions for Direct Contact Predatory Crime • Suitable target • Lack of capable guardianship • Motivated offender - assumed Criminal Motivation Assumed • Motivation is ever-present • Variation in suitable targets and capable guardianship explains crime patterns Explaining Crime Patterns • Increase in household burglary 1950 -1980 • Robbery victimization peaks at night Target Suitability Motor vehicles and parts Electronic appliances Large, durable goods Furniture Amount stolen per $100 spent $26. 44 $6. 82 $0. 08 $0. 12 Source: Cohen and Felson, 1979 Household Guardianship Burglary/Robbery Rates (per 1, 000) Number in Household Age Two +. 095. 079 Ratio 18 -35 36 -55 One. 20. 161 56 + . 107 . 01 1. 76 All Ages . 144 . 081 1. 78 2. 11 2. 04 Also, proportion of households unattended has increased over time Source: Cohen and Felson, 1979 Rational Choice Theory • Routine activities takes macro-level view • Rational choice takes a situational view • Complimentary perspectives Rational Choice Theory • Bounded rationality decision making • Offenders are opportunists Implications for Crime Prevention • If offenders decisions are situationally bounded, then how should we go about reducing offending? Routine activity and rational choiceRational choice theory key conceptsRational equation and rational inequalitiesGood choice or bad choiceRational choice teorinRational choice theoryRational choice theory criminologyRational constrained choiceRational choice theory key conceptsRoutine activities theoryRoutine activities theory