The Routine Activity Theory states that the occurrence of a crime is likely if there is a motivated offender and a suitable target, with the simultaneous absence of a capable guardian. Main proponents Lawrence E. Cohen, Marcus Felson, Ronald V. Clarke Theory According to Cohen and Felson, crime rates depend
macro
Classical Criminology
Classical Criminology sees criminal action as the result of free and rational decisions of the acting individuals. Main proponents Cesare Beccaria, John Howard, Jeremy Bentham, Samuel Romilly, John Anselm von Feuerbach, Sir Robert Peel, Samuel Pufendorf u.a. Theory Classical crime theory, especially according to Beccaria, is based on the assumption
Radical labelling approach (Sack)
[According to Fritz Sack, the term “labelling” is unnecessarily narrow. He therefore proposes the term “Marxist-interactionist”.] According to Fritz Sack, crime is a pure attribution process. In this attribution process, a physical event is linked to a mental state. This physical event thus goes through a social career. This attribution
Marxist theory of crime
Marxist theories of crime aim at the power difference between different social classes. Laws and their enforcement serve to maintain these power differences. Main proponent Richard Quinney, William Chambliss Theory The contents of Marxist crime theories do not always automatically go back to the social theorist Karl Marx. Rather, the
Concept of Anomie (Durkheim)
Durkheim sees anomie as a state of social disintegration. Due to a far-reaching social change (here: industrialisation, introduction of the structural principle of division of labour), social differentiations are increasingly emerging (e.g. poor – rich, urban – rural, religious – secularised, etc.). The disappearance of old principles of structure and
Social disorganization (Shaw & McKay)
[also known as: Social Ecology, Area Approach, cultural transmission] Theories of social disorganization assume that in areas with certain ecological conditions such as high unemployment rates, population mobility or material decay, crime rates are constant. Such conditions prevent social organisation and cohesion in the neighbourhood and thus informal social control
