Criminal Law

Criminal Law

Causation of Crime
Tina Collins

    What Causes Crime? There are several different theories on why crimes are committed. Choice theory is one of the theories that I can see being logical. Social Scientist James Q. explains choice theory “At any given moment, a person can choose between committing a crime and not committing it. The consequences of committing a crime consist of rewards, and punishments; the consequences of not committing the crime also entail gains and losses. The larger the ratio of net rewards of the greater the tendency to commit a crime.” Trait theory is another theory that is well known. Unlike choice theory I find trait theory illogical. One trait theory is that biochemical conditions can influence criminal behavior. Bellow I will compare and contrast choice theory and trait theory.
Choice Theory
    Choice theory is when a person weighs the benefits of a crime before they commit it. If the person believes that the benefits are greater, the person is more likely to commit the crime. I find this theory to be logical, but there is a flaw. Not all people weigh the benefits of a crime. For an example a cashier decides to steal money from his/her cash drawer to feed his/her baby. The cashier that works next to them has the same situation with needing to feed their family, but never thought about taking money from their cash drawer. Not all people stand around and weigh out the benefits of crime. Choice theory is logical and outweighs the following theory, but still has its flaws.
Trait theory
    Trait theory can sound ridiculous when you hear about the Italian physician Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909) beliefs on criminal trait theory. He thought that criminals could all be identified by certain physical characteristics such as sharp teeth and large jaws. Before World War I a man named Henry Goddard was used to profile immigrants that arrived at Ellis Island. He was known for the ability to judge a person’s intelligence level based on...