Criminal Justice System/200 Week 1 Assignment
Choice Theories and How They Relate To Crime
Brandi L. Haney
CJS/200
December 21, 2012
Sean Wallace Choice Theories are a rational choice that actors act upon because of the thoughts and feelings they have. It is an immediate instinct to do what’s needed for your immediate survival at the time. Also Known as a personal conscious choice. Rational people think that the act will benefit them more than cause harm to themselves. They do not know if it will cause harm to anyone else around them but honestly they normally do not care. Criminals are a great group of people whom commit these acts. They feel that they are restrained and that their choices are constricted. They use this as a last and sometimes only resort. Criminals are seen as inherently anit-social. This gives the criminals a sense of control, power, and in their minds gives them an alternative career. For example look at drug dealers. They live their lives selling drugs not because they enjoy doing it and disobeying the law but because they can work for two hours and they can make more money than I do in two weeks working 40+ hours. They love quick easy money and over look the consequences. The only way to stop this major crime rate and help keep our justice system a little more organized and not so stressful is to make the cost of crime so high that no rational human will commit the crime. All of this does not go for a criminal whom sits down and thinks of the cost/benefit portion of things. A choice theory to some is simply nothing other than a
Brandi L. Haney
CJS/200
December 21, 2012
Sean Wallace Choice Theories are a rational choice that actors act upon because of the thoughts and feelings they have. It is an immediate instinct to do what’s needed for your immediate survival at the time. Also Known as a personal conscious choice. Rational people think that the act will benefit them more than cause harm to themselves. They do not know if it will cause harm to anyone else around them but honestly they normally do not care. Criminals are a great group of people whom commit these acts. They feel that they are restrained and that their choices are constricted. They use this as a last and sometimes only resort. Criminals are seen as inherently anit-social. This gives the criminals a sense of control, power, and in their minds gives them an alternative career. For example look at drug dealers. They live their lives selling drugs not because they enjoy doing it and disobeying the law but because they can work for two hours and they can make more money than I do in two weeks working 40+ hours. They love quick easy money and over look the consequences. The only way to stop this major crime rate and help keep our justice system a little more organized and not so stressful is to make the cost of crime so high that no rational human will commit the crime. All of this does not go for a criminal whom sits down and thinks of the cost/benefit portion of things. A choice theory to some is simply nothing other than a