The following is a question from the comprehensive examination for the PhD in Criminology Program at Florida State University.
The deterministic model of research dominates the field of criminology, implying that behavior is fully determined. Consistent with this model research attempts to identify variables that increase or decrease the probability of criminal behavior. Recently the explanation of crime as individual choice has regained popularity. Describe the deterministic and individual choice models, the major historical and contemporary theorists associated with each, and how studies based (in whole or in part) on the deterministic model do or should differ from the studies based on the individual choice model.
As a security manager, which model(s), i.e. the deterministic (rooted in the Positive School of Criminology) or the individual choice model or rational choice model (rooted in the Classical School of Criminology), do you believe may offer the best explanation of crime causation in our society? I would like you to be rational in your response. If we focused only on the workplace, would your response change?
Visit Comparison of Classical and Positive Schools of Criminology (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. and Quick Overview (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. Classical and Positive Criminology web sites for additional background on the concepts of determinism and individual choice. I have also attached a outline of the Classical, Positive, and Neo-Classical Schools of criminological thought.
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