There are changes that can be made to the original theory in the week one personal criminology theory. My theory was on rational choice deterrence. It is based on the utilitarian approach. The criminal looks at the benefits and costs of engaging in the crime before committing the crime. Becker (2002) maintains that for a crime to exist there must be three aspects present. First, there should be no authority figure to prevent the crime from being commissioned. Secondly, there must be a motivated offender and thirdly, there must be a suitable target.
• For a crime to happen there should be no authority figure to prevent a crime from happening. This is not true. Crimes do happen even when there is authority that is put to prevent them from happening. Crimes like robberies take place even there police officers working. The people committing the crime may be too smart for the police or may have greater skills and ammunition than the authorities. Some crimes take place involving the authorities that are supposed to prevent them form happening.
• The three aspects are not the only things that increase possibility of crimes to take place. Fading of societal norms and morals are some of the predisposing factors. The inequality of life in terms of economic and social status matters a lot in promotion of crime. Some people engage in crimes not entirely to get benefit out of them but in a way to punish the people who they think made them become economically and socially unstable.
• The individual who wants to commit crime does not only look at the advantages and the disadvantages of getting into the crime. Situational factors such as persuasion by friends, drug and substance influences are also important. Previous learning and experience has a bearing on a person's decision to engage in crime.
