UNDERSTANDING CRIMINOLOGICAL THEORIES AS A TOOL FOR CRIME PREVENTION

Abstract

The story of Adam and Eve shows that there was a law (not to eat the fruit from the tree of good and evil). The consequence or punishment would be death as stated by God, while the benefit was ‘to be like God’ according to Satan. Therefore, the choices were either to receive a punishment or a benefit. Eve then chose the latter. This may reflect how one foreign theory of crime causation (rational choice theory) works, especially when it comes to crimes and punishments. A person would weigh the costs and benefits and decides according to his/her belief, judgment and conviction. In the local setting, a recent incident showed a preliminary applicability of one of the theories of crime causation, specifically, the rational choice theory (RCT) in the Philippine setting. It was when a relieved security guard turned into a hostage taker.