Assignment: Criminology
Read: Jeremy Bentham (1823). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation, Chs. 1 & 4.
The Clarendon Press.
Read: Lawrence Cohen and Marcus Felson (1979) A routine activity approach. American Sociological Review 44: 588-608.
Read: Gary Becker (Fall 1995). The economics of crime. Cross Sections. Richmond, VA: Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
A. What is the principle of utility as defined by Bentham and Becker?
B. What kinds of crimes would not be explainable by this principle? Explain why.
C. Relying on Cohen and Felson's article, what is the best predictor of what gets stolen by a thief or burglar? How does this related to Bentham and Becker's principle of utility?
D. Relying on Cohen and Felson, identify three social/economic changes since the 1960's that either increase or decrease the likelihood of crime. Explain why they increase or decrease the
likelihood of crime.
E. Evaluate Becker's arguments concerning reducing gun crime and the effectiveness of imprisonment. Identify potential weaknesses in his viewpoint.