Chapter 4 Flashcards
rational choice theory (choice theory)
the view that crime is a function of a decision-making process in which the potential offender weighs the potential costs and benefits of an illegal act.
Classical Criminology
a theory of crime suggesting that criminal behavior is a matter of personal choice, made after the individual considers its costs and benefits, and that the criminal behavior reflects the needs of the offender.
offense-specific crime
a crime in which the offender reacts selectively to the characteristics of a particular criminal act
offender-specific crime
a crime in which offenders evaluate their skills, motives, needs, and fears before deciding to commit the criminal act.
edgework
the excitement or exhilaration of successfully executing illegal activities in dangerous situations
Seductions of crime
the situational inducements or immediate benefits that draw offenders into law violations.
situational crime prevention
a method of crime prevention that seeks to eliminate or reduce particular crimes in specific settings
Defensible space
the principle that crime can be prevented or displaced by modifying the physical environment to reduce the opportunity that individuals have to commit crime
crime discouragers
people who serve as guardians of property or people
diffusion
an effect that occurs when efforts to prevent one crime unintentionally prevent another
discouragement
an effect that occurs when crime control efforts targeting a particular locale help reduce crime in surrounding areas of population
displacement
an effect that occurs when crime control efforts simply move, or redirect, offenders to less heavily guarded alternative targets.
Extinction
an effect that occurs when crime reduction programs produce a short-term positive effect, but benefits dissipate as criminals adjust to new conditions
replacement
an effect that occurs when criminals try new offenses they had previously avoided because situational crime prevention programs have neutralized their crime of choice.
general deterrence
a crime control policy that depends on the fear of criminal penalties, convincing the potential law violator that the pains associated with crime outweigh its benefits.
