Ebook: Analyzing Rational Crime — Models and Methods

Olof Dahlbäck's book breaks new ground for the analysis of crime from a rationality perspective by presenting models and methods that go far beyond those with which researchers have hitherto been equipped. The book examines single crimes, individual criminality, and societal crime, and it discusses thoroughly the general decision theoretical presuppositions necessary for analyzing these various types of crime. An expected utility maximization model for a single discrete choice regarding the commission of a crime is the foundation of most of the analyses presented. A version of this model is developed that permits interpersonal comparisons, and this basic model is used when deriving more complex models of crime as well as when analyzing the potential for such derivations. The rigorous, powerful methods suggested provide considerable opportunities for improving research and for seeing old problems in a new light.

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Olof Dahlb?ck's book breaks new ground for the analysis of crime from a rationality perspective by presenting models and methods that go far beyond those with which researchers have hitherto been equipped. The book examines single crimes, individual criminality, and societal crime, and it discusses thoroughly the general decision theoretical presuppositions necessary for analyzing these various types of crime. An expected utility maximization model for a single discrete choice regarding the commission of a crime is the foundation of most of the analyses presented. A version of this model is developed that permits interpersonal comparisons, and this basic model is used when deriving more complex models of crime as well as when analyzing the potential for such derivations. The rigorous, powerful methods suggested provide considerable opportunities for improving research and for seeing old problems in a new light.

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Olof Dahlb?ck's book breaks new ground for the analysis of crime from a rationality perspective by presenting models and methods that go far beyond those with which researchers have hitherto been equipped. The book examines single crimes, individual criminality, and societal crime, and it discusses thoroughly the general decision theoretical presuppositions necessary for analyzing these various types of crime. An expected utility maximization model for a single discrete choice regarding the commission of a crime is the foundation of most of the analyses presented. A version of this model is developed that permits interpersonal comparisons, and this basic model is used when deriving more complex models of crime as well as when analyzing the potential for such derivations. The rigorous, powerful methods suggested provide considerable opportunities for improving research and for seeing old problems in a new light.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-ix
Introduction....Pages 1-8
Front Matter....Pages 9-9
The Assumption of Rationality....Pages 13-18
Rational Decisions under Conditions of Risk....Pages 19-33
Descriptive Validity of the Rationality Theories of Expected Utility Maximization....Pages 34-49
Interpersonal Comparison of Utility....Pages 50-57
Previous Research....Pages 61-70
Research Strategies....Pages 71-85
Analyzing the Bivariate Linear Relationships between Choice and Punishment Factors....Pages 86-93
Experimental Analysis....Pages 94-100
Nonexperimental Analysis....Pages 101-105
Front Matter....Pages 107-110
Summary and Conclusions....Pages 174-180
Applying the Rationality Model to Individual Criminality....Pages 113-120
Rationality and Proneness to Taking Risks....Pages 121-126
Societal Crime....Pages 127-133
Previous Research on Individual Criminality....Pages 137-146
Previous Research on Societal Crime....Pages 147-154
An Aggregation Model....Pages 155-162
Basing the Analysis on Crime Opportunity and Crime Propensity Factors....Pages 163-173
Back Matter....Pages 181-218

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Olof Dahlb?ck's book breaks new ground for the analysis of crime from a rationality perspective by presenting models and methods that go far beyond those with which researchers have hitherto been equipped. The book examines single crimes, individual criminality, and societal crime, and it discusses thoroughly the general decision theoretical presuppositions necessary for analyzing these various types of crime. An expected utility maximization model for a single discrete choice regarding the commission of a crime is the foundation of most of the analyses presented. A version of this model is developed that permits interpersonal comparisons, and this basic model is used when deriving more complex models of crime as well as when analyzing the potential for such derivations. The rigorous, powerful methods suggested provide considerable opportunities for improving research and for seeing old problems in a new light.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-ix
Introduction....Pages 1-8
Front Matter....Pages 9-9
The Assumption of Rationality....Pages 13-18
Rational Decisions under Conditions of Risk....Pages 19-33
Descriptive Validity of the Rationality Theories of Expected Utility Maximization....Pages 34-49
Interpersonal Comparison of Utility....Pages 50-57
Previous Research....Pages 61-70
Research Strategies....Pages 71-85
Analyzing the Bivariate Linear Relationships between Choice and Punishment Factors....Pages 86-93
Experimental Analysis....Pages 94-100
Nonexperimental Analysis....Pages 101-105
Front Matter....Pages 107-110
Summary and Conclusions....Pages 174-180
Applying the Rationality Model to Individual Criminality....Pages 113-120
Rationality and Proneness to Taking Risks....Pages 121-126
Societal Crime....Pages 127-133
Previous Research on Individual Criminality....Pages 137-146
Previous Research on Societal Crime....Pages 147-154
An Aggregation Model....Pages 155-162
Basing the Analysis on Crime Opportunity and Crime Propensity Factors....Pages 163-173
Back Matter....Pages 181-218
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