Doing Crime: An Analysis of Repetitive Property Offenders' Decision-making

• NCJ Number: 133529
• Author(s): K D Tunnell
• Date Published: 1989
• Length: 229 pages
• Grant Number(s): 86-CCT-15
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Dissertation/Thesis
• Publication Type: Thesis/Dissertation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: University of Tennessee -- doctoral dissertation

Annotation

Sixty male inmates who had committed many burglaries and armed robberies were interviewed to determine their decisionmaking processes.

Abstract

The participants were all incarcerated in Tennessee prisons. Their interviews were all tape recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using standard qualitative data analysis focusing on the decisionmaking patterns involved. Results demonstrated that criminals do not engage in rational decisionmaking. They especially do not evaluate the possible legal consequences of their action. In addition, negative consequences are far less influential than positive consequences. Findings indicated that theories of deterrence and decisionmaking may not adequately explain the decisions made by repetitive property criminals. 151 references and appended instruments and consent form (Author abstract modified)