Rational choice theory

Criminology

• Rational choice theory is applicable to a wide range of disciplines, including economics, psychology, and philosophy. According to this view, individuals make decisions based on their self-interests.
•  Individuals analyze their options and choose the course of action that they believe will benefit them the most. The theory examines the behaviour pattern of individual and how they make choices based on what they perceived as beneficial to themselves (Matsueda, 2020).
•  The choice theory can be traced back to the eighteenth century based on the studies of Ceasare Beccaria. Since then, the theory of rational choice has been developed and adopted in various disciplines such as sociology, philosophy, and economic, among others.
• The rational choice theory has impacted on various discipline and subjected such as in constitutional development, specifically, the bills of rights.
• The bill of rights provide protection to each individuals by guaranteeing civil liberties and essential rights as dictated in various components of the bill, which includes trial by jury, the right to bear arms,  the right to free speech , and freedom of religion.
• These rights are offered to individual both who are incident, suspect, or convicted from crime perspective.
• Nevertheless, individuals can take advantage of the prevailing guaranteed and protection provide or safeguarded by the bill of right to engage in crime.
• As dictated by the rational choice theory an individual is likely to engage in crime of the outcome of his or her choice can be favorable regardless of their actions.
• The bill of right will guarantee minimal protections such as right to a jury, freedom of expression, among others, which the individual may use to his or her advantage to escape conviction or punishment for their crimes.

Reference

Matsueda, R. L. (2020). 8. Rational Choice Research in Criminology: A Multi-Level Framework. In The handbook of rational choice social research (pp. 283-321). Stanford University Press.