Chapter 8: The delinquent event: situational aspects, routine activities, and rational choice

Abstract

Chapter 8 explores the delinquent event – the situational context of offending decisions and delinquent acts. The term event conveys an episodic quality to delinquent acts – they occur at particular times, in particular places, and involve particular people. Our focus on the immediate setting of delinquent events considers five interrelated areas of study: (1) situational aspects of delinquent acts, (2) the experience of delinquency, (3) routine activities of adolescents, (4) a theoretical view that adolescents “drift” into delinquency, and (5) the rational elements of choosing to engage in delinquent acts. In each of these areas of study, the situational context of delinquent acts is the unit of analysis and immediate circumstances are the center of attention.

Theories

• situational inducements and commitment to conformity
• routine activities theory
• drift theory
• techniques of neutralization
• rational choice theory
• situational action theory

Key Terms

• delinquent event
• objective content of situations
• subjective content of situations
• situational inducements
• commitment to conformity
• routine activities
• motivated offenders
• suitable targets
• capable guardians
• hard determinism
• positivist criminology
• soft determinism
• classical criminology
• drift
• subculture of delinquency
• subterranean values
• techniques of neutralization
• will
• criminal propensity
• deterrent effect
• human agency
• morality

Outline

1. Situational aspects of delinquency
   1. Situational correlates of aggression
   2. Situational inducements
   3. Mean streets: adverse situations and delinquency
      1. Taking to the streets
      2. The adversity of homelessness
   4. Situational strains
   5. The situation of company
2. The experience of delinquency
   1. Sneaky thrills: juvenile property crime
      1. Constructing an object as seductive
      2. Remaining in rational control
      3. Being thrilled
   2. An assessment of sneaky thrill property crime
3. Routine activities: opportunities for delinquency
   1. The routine activities of adolescents
4. Drifting into delinquency
   1. Subculture of delinquency and subterranean values
   2. Techniques of neutralization
   3. A “will” for delinquency
5. Choosing delinquency: rational choice theory
   1. Offending decisions
   2. Criminal propensity and choices to offend
   3. The deterrent effect of punishment in offending decisions
   4. Human agency and situated choice
   5. Situational action theory 
6. Summary and conclusions