Week 3 exercises

Question 1

What is the difference between a life course criminological and environmental approach to explaining CB?

Answer 1

Environmental criminology is about study of crime (events), while life course criminology is about study of criminality

Question 2

How do life course criminology and environmental prevent crimes?

Answer 2

Life course criminology: change motivations to commit crime
Environmental: reducing opportunities to commit crime

Question 3

What is the routine activity theory?

Answer 3

Motivated offenders will commit crime if there are suitable targets and absence of capable guardians

Question 4

What is a limitation of life course criminology that an environmental approach can complement?

Answer 4

Changing opportunity structure (environmental) is often easier than changing people (life course)

Question 5

What is crime pattern theory?

Answer 5

It’s focused on offender’s routines and opportunities for crime

Question 6

What is the rational choice theory?

Answer 6

Offender weighs the costs and benefits of behavioral alternatives -> choosing alternative that is assumed to bring them closer to their goal