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Scenario 3

The document discusses a scenario involving a 15-year-old juvenile who stole a bicycle, motivated by a desire to fit in with peers and a belief that the bike was underutilized. It applies Rational Choice Theory to analyze the juvenile's decision-making process, emphasizing the balance of perceived benefits against potential consequences. The police response is suggested to focus on addressing the juvenile's motivations while ensuring accountability, potentially through community programs and educational efforts about property rights.

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15 views

Scenario 3

The document discusses a scenario involving a 15-year-old juvenile who stole a bicycle, motivated by a desire to fit in with peers and a belief that the bike was underutilized. It applies Rational Choice Theory to analyze the juvenile's decision-making process, emphasizing the balance of perceived benefits against potential consequences. The police response is suggested to focus on addressing the juvenile's motivations while ensuring accountability, potentially through community programs and educational efforts about property rights.

Uploaded by

Harry
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Scenario 3:

You receive a call about a stolen bicycle. The stolen bicycle's owner tells you he saw who took

it. He explains that he watched his 15-year-old juvenile neighbor walk into the garage and wheel

the bike out. You go to the neighbor's home and speak to the 15-year-old juvenile and his mom.

The juvenile explains that he did take the bike. He tells you he wanted a motorcycle; all his

friends have bikes and always ride off together without him. He further explains that he deserved

the bike. He is doing well in school and never gets into trouble. He knows his mom can't afford

to buy him his bike. He also tells you the bike's owner never rode it. It just sat in the garage. He

doesn't think he's hurting anyone. Crime Committed and Causation Police Response paragraph

format

Crime Committed and Causation:

In the rational choice theory case, the 15-year-old juvenile stealing the bicycle is the one we

must focus on to understand the process they went through while making the decision. Rational

Choice Theory considers that people generally undertake a cost-benefit analysis before making

significant decisions, including voting. Students will read this prompt and examine it from the

juvenile perspective of those who made this choice, assuming the benefits were more significant

than the potential punishment.

If we use Rational Choice Theory, we will notice that the juvenile's motive to steal the bike is

relevant. For once, he needed a bike to support him as a part of the group and help him feel

confident because he hadn't had one so far. He could have arrived at the same conclusion that

this bike rarely gets used by looking at those who are the owners, as he had done

earlier. Additionally, he defended his theft actions, citing proper sport, which showed his good

behavior and academic performance, and he hence deserves to keep the bike.
The central weights among the different components were not only the cost of the bike but also

the desire to belong among peers, which must be considered when looking back at the juvenile's

decision. He probably had some thoughts about how he personally would benefit from biking

and getting involved in several connected activities with friends compared to what he had to give

up to an eventual thieve.

Police Response:

Rational Choice Theory outlines that the police approach should align with the offenders'

motivations and the legal consequences of their crime. Therefore, the officer's response must

incorporate the youth's viewpoint and tackle the foundational issues behind his behavior, such as

reaching out to the juvenile and families of juveniles, who might offer alternative ways to

procure a bike through community programs or organizations aimed at helping low-income

families. Moreover, the law enforcer can lecture about theft and the value of property rights for

others. However, a convicted person must also bear the responsibility for the crime. The officer

should tell the thief that he will have legal problems and that what could happen to him should be

clear. They may involve the juvenile justice system, starting with a written warning, sending the

teenage individual to a diversion program, or just paying for the damages that the bike owner

may have incurred.

As the final stage, police actions in this regard should seek to solve the juvenile's problems and

also ensure he gets punished for his certain crime in accordance with the Rational Choice

Theory. This approach aims to address the underlying factors of the offender's behavior while

still keeping him/her accountable; consequently, we hope to prevent further criminal offenses

and encourage good decisions among those who commit them.

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