Property Crime Theory

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In attempt to explain why certain crimes transpire, various theories have been developed to answer such inquiries. Focus of individual and structural criminological theories have been highly advantageous in the illumination of why property offences occur. The essay outlines statistical trends regarding property offences present within Australia, as being of a decreasing nature. Multiple property offences will be discusses broadly, with a particular focus of burglaries. Through the application of both Rational Choice Theory and General Strain Theory it is determined why individuals engage in the committal of such property offences.
Property crime is deemed the most prevalent type of offence in Australia (Australian Institute of Criminology [AIC], 2014a), highlighting the importance of analysing statistical trends of property offences. An individual who has ownership or interest over an object or land holds a property right, an entitlement over a thing (right in rem), enforceable against the whole world, designed to protect ones property being unjustly taken (Edgeworth, Rossiter, Stone, O’Conner, 2012). AIC defines property offences to include “damage or destruction of homes, businesses and land as well as theft of vehicles and household burglary” (AIC, 2014a).
Throughout the past 2 decades there has been a …show more content…

Following on from the strain, the hampered individuals resort to delinquent behaviour in attempts to achieve sought after goals (Pratt & Godsey, 2003). Agnew (1992) presented 4 main types of strain; firstly inability to achieve goals; secondly loss of positive stimuli; thirdly presence of negative stimuli; and fourthly disjunction between expectations and achievements. Such types of strain lead one to frustration and anger, having a causal link to offenders engaging in criminal

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