Criminal Theories Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Criminal Theories - Essay Example The difficulty in committing the crime also counts, as well as whether the rewards are worth the effort and even the best place to commit the crime, within his neighborhood or elsewhere. If the risks perceived are small, the rewards and excitement high, the criminal gains the likelihood of committing the crime again. On the other hand, if the risks outweigh the rewards, the offender foregoes the crime: if they have a good chance of apprehension, the fear of punishment or consequences, damage to their reputation and feelings of guilt or shame (Cole, Smith and DeJong 64). Other evaluations include familiarity with the target and how easy it is to commit the crime. In this theory, the criminal uses opportunistic everyday routines that involve the family such as shopping, work, leisure, and schooling. These, together with factors such as lack of a guardian, the presence of a target and the motivated criminal are the context for criminal opportunities (Siegel 71). The guardian’s presence would deter potential offenders from committing the crime for instance door staff, security guards, police patrols, neighbors, and friends. The target should be accessible and may include an expensive car, goods that can be easily moved or expensive jewelry, while the offender may be an addict, teenage boys or unemployed people. These three elements must be present within a routine activity for crime to take place (Schmalleger 182). For instance, many homes are left unguarded during the day, making them targets of crime. The possibility of a crime being committed by the motivated offender increases when there are an accessible target and the absence of a c apable guardian.