Crime and Criminal Behavior Discussion questions
Business Finance
D1: Crime and Criminal Behavior: A Perspective
Your Module 1 lecture examines how studying criminal theories helps us in explain what “criminality” is or “criminal behavior.” Chapters 1, 13, and 16 are the assigned chapters for this week.
Chapter 13 in your Lilly, Cullen, & Ball book discusses the Rational Choice Theory and the factors that motivate an offender to commit a crime.
For this discussion thread assignment, students should choose ONE of the statements below in purple and then answer question #1 concerning a motive for stealing.
Please use your own words and refrain from using outside sources or citing.
*Please number your answers #1, #2.
“I wanted the Item(s) but didn’t want to pay for it.”
“It was due to peer pressure.”
“I steal for a living.”
“I needed the item(s) and could not afford it.”
“I don’t know why. It was just an impulse.”
“I was under the influence of Drugs or alcohol.”
“I enjoy the thrill/excitement/rush/danger.”
“I can’t help myself. It’s compulsive.”
“I was under a lot of stress.”
1. Which of the above statements do you feel is a true example of stealing or theft? Which of the statements (if any) do you feel might be a legitimate motivation or reason to steal? Explain your answer.
For this discussion thread assignment, students should discuss the statements below in green and then answer question #2 concerning what constitutes “theft.”
Where do we draw the line as to what is stealing?
- Eating a grape in the grocery store to see if it tastes “ripe” before purchasing the entire bunch. The grapes are weighed after you get to the register!
- A pre-priced container of strawberries is $4.50 but it looks only 2/3rd full so the customer takes some from another box to fill up their container.
- You are at an All-you-can-eat meal in a restaurant (Olive Garden) and have been ordering unlimited soup, salad and bread sticks for your meal. 5 minutes before you are going to leave, you purposely ask for another bowl of salad and another basket of bread sticks – knowing that you are not going to eat it but doing this so you can ask for a take-out box to take it home.
2. In your opinion, are any or all of these a form of “stealing” and why or why not? Explain your answer.
(8 complete sentences are required for the main posting; 4 complete sentences are required for a response to another student.)
Remember – this counts as your initial Discussion posting and is due on Thursday evening no later than 11:59 pm EST. You must also respond back to two of your classmates no later than Sunday at 11:59 pm EST.
