There are many definitions to theory. According to Akers (2009) “theories are tentative answers to the commonly asked questions about events and behavior” (Akers, (2009, p. 1). Theory is a set of interconnect statements that explain how two or more things are related in two casual fashions, based upon a confirmed hypotheses and established multiple times by disconnected groups of researchers. There are six elements that make a theory sound. These elements are scientific criteria that provide whether or not the theories are scientific. The most important of these elements is empirical validity, which uses evidence to confirm or disprove a theory and have criteria for interpreting data as factual, irregular or unrelated. The other major elements include internal logical consistency, scope and parsimony, testability, and usefulness and policy implication. A theory must be logically consistent. In order to be so, it must have clearly defined concepts, have logically stated and internally consistent propositions. If a theory contains pointless ideas or is inconsistent, it can't really explain anything. Scope refers to the assortment of events that it propositions to explain. Parsimony is used to describe the concepts and propositions as to whether they are concise or abstract. Scope and Parsimony are interrelated. A scientific theory must be able to be tested by objective, repeatable evidence, but not against empirical findings. In order to assess the value of the theory, its usefulness for effective policy implications are evaluated. (Akers, 2009, p. 5-11) Routine Activities Theory includes elements from deterrence and rational choice theories. Routine Activity Theory provides a simple and influential imminent into the sources of ... ... middle of paper ... ...n numbers; 5) improving natural surveillance through provision of public street lights, trimming of hedges, and putting up fences that do not obstruct visibility (Akers, 2009, p. 42). Based upon the evidence provided on the six elements of a good theory, the Routine Activities Theory is a sound theory. These elements provide that the theory is scientific. The theory has brought together its three elements to help determine why crime occurs. Through research by multiple detached researchers, its hypotheses have been confirmed through tests and empirical evidence. Works Cited Akers, R, & Sellers, C. (2009). Criminological theories: introduction, evaluation, and application. New York: Oxford University Press, USA. Cohen, L. E. & Felson, M. (1979). “Social change and crime rate trends: A routine activities approach,” American Sociological Review 44:588-608.
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...erally take the opportunity. There are downfalls to this theory, as it does not take into account any other aspects of the individual committing the crime (Morrow, 2014). However, using the Routine Activity Theory, we can effectively create programs that make it more difficult not only for people to commit crime but also make them less easy to victimize (Morrow, 2014). .
Lilly, Robert J., Francis T. Cullen, and Richard A. Ball. 2011. Criminological Theory: Context And Consequences. 5th ed. California: SAGE.
Winslow, R. W., & Zhang, S. (2008). Contemporary Theories of Crime. Criminology: a global perspective (). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall.
Stam’s (2010) view of theory as a systematic representation of critical problems. Systematic observations are developing explanations of problems, describing different strategies, and providing outcomes. A theory is an observation and unified hypotheses, a cycle of statements, or a pictorial model, and specific methods in yielding results of said process. Theories are used as a construct in researcher work to explain a phenomenon. Practitioners utilized theory based on observation and frame the problem in an actual practice environment. According to Stam (2007), a theory is a systematic arrangement of knowledge useful for problem solving, in clarifying these different observable truths. The usefulness of theories used by practitioners is
Routine activity theory mainly focuses on crime as an event and disregards the figure of crime or other social and biological factors (Maxfield, 1987). Space and time along with its underlying implications are also a
The routine activities theory of crime, developed by Cohen and Felson, focuses on the events of a crime and the relation of factors that led to the causation of the crime or suitable targets (Miro, 2014). Moreover, the theory shifts attention from the offender to the opportunities for crime presented by everyday routines (Osgood, Wilson, O’Malley, Bachman, Johnston, 1996). Therefore, instead on searching for an offender’s motive, factors such as the absence of a guardian, social change, or vulnerability, contribute to the explanation of the crime.
In addition, routine activity theory proposes that in order for a successful crime to occur, there are three significant components that need to be present; as Felson (1987, p.911) notes, “a likely offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian against crime.” Farrell & Hodgkinson (2015) mention that a likely offender is, any individual in the society who can be tempted to commit a crime during a situation. Furthermore, they add a suitable target is a human being who goes through their daily lives and becomes a target for the offender. Additionally, they describe the absence of a capable guardian involves around the idea of, one lacking the protection of an individual who is capable of protecting the victim from being victimized.
Routine Activity Theory is one of the main theories of "environmental criminology". According to “Routine Activity Theory,” doing a crime there are three things that show up, a motivated offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a guardian to prevent the crime from happening. As an example, a young man/woman who lives and works in a blighted area and doesn’t have a car, he/she has no other choice but to walk home at night after work; this situation will provide any criminal the opportunity needed to operate for an available and suitable target is present with no guardian.
Child sexual abuse is a serious and treacherous offence. The World Health Organization defines child sexual abuse as any sexual activity which the child does not comprehend and so, is unable to give informed consent. The Canadian Family Violence Law’s definition of child sexual abuse is any activity in which an offender uses a child for sexual purposes. The child maltreatment section under Health Canada states that child sexual abuse activities include fondling, intercourse, incest, sodomy, exhibitionism, and commercial exploitation through prostitution. It is no doubt that child sexual abuse is a crime throughout the world. However, slight emphasis is given to the causes of this crime. The goal of this essay is to give an intricate understanding
Theories are models that explain how the world works. They are often used as tools for analysis. Theories emerge at particular times and places offering contextual explanations for their emergence and the dominant forces (Denemark 1997:45).
My first comments will come from my infinitesimally small perspective of the universe. But this is the case for everyone in accordance with semiotics. My viewpoint is the world I exist in is understood by theories. The best theory is the one that explains the data gathered in the most parsimonious manner. Occam's razor never seems to leave me alone. I grew up here. I was weaned on this formula for understanding the events whirling around me. This occurred in large part because my father, being an engineer, was also weaned in this train of thought or philosophy, whichever you feel more comfortable. If a building was not cold enough during the summer, data was gathered , theories were created and examined and the best ones survived and a decision of action was created and implemented.
A theory is an abstract statement formulated to predict, explain or describe the relationships among concepts, constructs, or events.
This article focuses on testing the following two theories, The Theory of Routine Activities and The Theory of General Theory of Crime. According to Cohen and Felson (1979), The Theory of Routines contends that, “… the convergence in time and space of a motivated offender, suitable target, and lack of capable guardian-ship is conducive to criminal offending” (p. 460). The premise of this theory in other words, states that an individual is more at risk of being the subject of opportunity when they are in a situation where there is less guardianship and thus making them substantially more vulnerable to being the victim of an attack. Accordingly, The Theory of General Theory of Crime argues that, “…individuals with low self-control (LSC) will be at an increased risk for involvement in criminal and analogous behavior” (Gottfredson & Hirschi, 2003, p. 461) This theory maintains that individuals with low self c...