The following essay was written by a student responding to the question:
Discuss the concept of Crime and Human Nature by Wilson and Herrnstein. What is the concept of Crime and the Bell Curve? Compare and contrast Rational Choice Theory and the Routine Activity Theory.
You are to agree or disagree with the students essay? Is there something you feel they left out? You are to pose a question to the student about their essay within your reply. The response should also demonstrate the application of theory, law, policy, practice, and/or scholarly literature Please use course text materials and at least one scholarly source (other than the assigned course text) as a reference.
Course Text:
Title: Criminological Theory, 7th edition
Author: Lilly, Cullen, and Ball
Year Published: 2018
ISBN: 978-1506387307
Students Essay:
Wilson & Herrnstein
research provided an explanation about biosocial factors, in which they
focused more on
constitutional factors; They believed that crime could not be easy to understand
without considering
predisposition and biological roots (Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019). According to the course text Wilson & Herrnstein maintained that” The existence of biological predispositions means that circumstances that activate behavior in one person will not do so in another, that social forces cannot deter criminal behavior in 100 percent of the population, and that the distributions of
constitutional factors”(Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019, pg. 325).Lily, Cullen & Ball (2019) “Wilson &
Herrnstein stated that “bad families produce bad children”‘ (Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019, pg. 325). Wilson & Herrnstein did not determine a name or label for their theory and their statement about bad families producing bad children, was derived from an expansive review and works that was distributed about twins and adopted children; they concentrated on the criminality of children, in which they analyzed and contrasted the criminality of their biological or adopted parents (Lily, Cullen & Ball,2019).Wilson & Herrnstein were convinced that if genetics are tied together with criminal behavior, crime would occur regardless of ones social and economic environment; moreover, Wilson & Herrnstein presented an operant-utilitarian which is their theory of criminality (Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019, pg. 326).What is the concept of “Crime and the Bell Curve?? Lily, Cullen & Ball (2019) ” Wilson and Herrnstein suggested that low intelligence was associated with inability to reason morally, reestablishing the notion that it represented not only cognitive but also moral backwardness” (Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019, pg. 328). Wilson and Herrnstein conceptualize that intellect is the uttermost foretelling explanation for criminal conduct. concerning the fact of all social behaviors; this perception explains the concept of crime and the bell curve (Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019). As reported by Lilly, Cullen & Ball (2019) Wilson and Herrnstein believed that individuals who are cognitively disadvantaged will encounter challenges in life, which make sit difficult for them to adapt and exist in a social context; asserting that “They are more likely to fail at school, be unemployed, end up on
welfare, produce illegitimate children. be irresponsible citizens and commit criminal acts (Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019,pg. 328). In other words, individuals who are cognitively disadvantage are vulnerable; in regards to their way of thinking before they react, solving any life issues they may face; all and all living a wayward life. Compare and contrast Rational Choice Theory and the “Routine Activity Theory.”Queen’s printer for Ontario (2016) “Rational choice theory is based on the fundamental tenets of classical criminology, which hold that people freely choose their behaviour and are motivated by the avoidance of pain and the pursuit of pleasure” (Queen’s printer for Ontario, 2016, para 2). Queen’s printer for Ontario (2016)”Routine activities theory provides a macro perspective on crime in that it predicts how changes in social and economic conditions influence the overall crime and victimization rate (Queen’s printer for Ontario, 2016 para 6).
Lily, Cullen & Ball (2019) compared rational choice theory and the routine activity theory by disclosing that “In any case, the link between these seemingly dissimilar perspectives is the notion of the effort it takes to commit a crime or, conversely, the ease with which a crime can be accomplished’; in addition, Lily, Cullen & Ball (2019) also compared both theories by including that rational choice theory and the routine activity theory both are the leading factors for policy recommendations that will fight crime through an situational crime preventive evaluation ( Lily, Cullen & Ball, 2019, pg. 351).In contrast rational choice theory provides a situational perspective of crime, while the routine activity theory brings forth an environmental view about criminology.
