Answer only ONE of the prompts below based on Chapter 8 of the textbook. Then, reply to a classmate.
1. Choose two of the following theoretical perspectives on crime: rational choice, social control, social learning, interactionism (labeling), neutralization, and structural strain. What are the principal underlying assumptions involved in each of these theories? Which theoretical perspective do you find most useful for understanding white collar crime, and why?
2. Critically evaluate the contribution of the conflict perspective, in its Marxist, radical, and contemporary critical criminological forms, to our understanding of white collar crime. How can a focus on criminalization contribute to our understanding of white collar crime?
3.Identify and discuss the principal arguments on both sides of the debate over whether there is such a thing as corporate or organizational criminality. Which factors seem most important in explaining the crimes of corporations or organizations?
Classmate’s Response: Juan Romero
1.) The principal underlying assumption involved with rational choice is the idea that humans are purely rational and there are no other factors that are affecting their decision when they decide to commit a crime. This assumption has been debated because more and more people believe that there is no possibility for human beings to be purely rational. There will always be external factors like cultural influences and internal factors like morals and psychological factors that change a person’s choice. While the rational choice theory is still primarily one’s own choice there is now the realization that there is a mixture of factors aside from one’s own choice. The structural strain theory has the underlying assumption that the society in which they are living is creating stress for people to succeed. That assumption also includes that success is emphasized and the way in which you reach success is not important. I believe that structural strain is the theory that can be best used for understanding white-collar crime. I think society creates the idea that the only way you can be respected and considered successful is by looking at your material wealth. The focus is on your material wealth not how you achieve that material wealth and even when you have obtained some sense of material wealth society will always find a way of comparing you to someone who is more successful so you can never feel truly successful. This stress that they put on a person forced them to try and achieve a certain status that they can never truly achieve because there will always be another level, but that stress to try and fit society’s definition of success drives them to try and illegal method that might help them get there.
