Criminology

CHOICE THEORY FROM MARX 'S VIEWPOINT One prominent view of criminality is that people choose to commit crime after weighing the potential benefits and consequences of their criminal acts . According to this choice theory , people commit crime if they believe it will provide immediate benefits without the threat of long-term risks . For example , before concluding a drug sale , experience traffickers will mentally balance the chances of making a large profit with the consequences of being apprehended and punished for drug dealing . They know that most drug deals are detected and that the

br potential for enormous , untaxed profits is great . They evaluate their lifestyle and determine how much cash they need to maintain their standard of living , which is usually extravagant . They may have borrowed to finance the drug deal , and their creditors are not usually reasonable if loans cannot be repaid promptly . They also realize that they could be the target of a sting ' operation by undercover agents and , if caught will get a long mandatory sentence in a forbidding federal penitentiary If they conclude that the potential for profits is great enough , their need for cash urgent , and the chances of apprehension minimal , they will carry out the deal . If , however , they believe that the transaction will bring them only a small profit and a large risk of apprehension and punishment , they may forgo the deal as too risky . Crime , then , is a matter of personal choice

According to this view , crimes are events that occur when offenders decide to risk crime after considering personal needs (a desire for money , excitement , experience or revenge , situational factors (how well a target is protected , the risk of apprehension , the chance for hurting bystanders , and legal factors (the efficiency of police the threat of legal punishment , the effect of prior criminal record on future punishment . The decision to commit a specific crime is thus a matter of personal decision making based on weighing of available information (Cohen Machalek , 1988

The main principles of choice theory are

All people of their own free will can choose between conventional or criminal behaviors

For some people , criminal solutions are more attractive because they require less effort for greater gain

People will refrain from antisocial acts if they believe that the punishment or pain they will receive for their actions will be greater than any potential gain

The punishments threatened by the existing criminal law are the primary deterrent to crime

Looking at this theory in the light of Marx 's principles , we need to look into

Marx 's philosophy so that we can better illustrate it taking his philosophy into consideration . Marxist theory devotes its research efforts to exposing discrimination and class bias in the application of laws and justice . They trace the history of criminal sanctions to show how those sanctions have corresponded to the needs of the wealthy . They attempt to show how police , courts and correctional agencies have served as tools of the powerful members of society . Marx believes that the governing...