Russian Mafia & Rational Choice Theory

Introduction

This essay will discuss the issue of Russian Mafia in the paradigm of criminology and law and will discuss the intricate linkage between concepts such as psychological, personality, social factors and influences for criminal behavior and the subsequent advent of organized crime. Moreover, the paper will discuss how Rational Choice Theory explains Russian Mafia. Lastly, this essay will incorporate the article, which is authored by Alexander Shvarts and is titled as “The Russian Mafia: Do Rational Choice Models Apply?” and appears in the Michigan Sociological Review, Vol. 15, pp. 29-63.

Discussion

It is imperative to understand that personality is the particular mixture of emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral traits of an individual to form a distinctive character; which eventually makes the individual in question different from others. On the other hand, various social scientists and psychologists persist that crime, though negative in essence, is the rational behavior of an individual (Wilkinson 2008).

Criminology is the term, which is derived from Latin, refers to the study of accusation, nature, scope, causes, and management of unlawful behavior in the individual and in society both.

Demonstrating psychological and behavioral theories of criminology is significant when contemplating causes premiere to criminal activity. It is essential to realize both ideas and how they sway the likelihood of somebody taking part in criminal activity.

Coming back to crime, criminology has been defined as a multidisciplinary science that bases its foundations on the expertise of sociology, psychology and social anthropology; and takes the conceptual framework from the above mentioned disciplines that defines the criminal law. Criminology studies the causes of crime and recommends remedies antisocial behavior of man. Criminological research areas include the incidence and forms of crime and its causes and consequences.

Psychological Behavioral Theory

Before proceeding towards the chosen article and the rational theory of choice, it is imperative to analyze the psychological origins of crime.

Psychological criminal behaviors refer to procedures that may be gratifying the individual but impose hurting or hammering on others. This is criminal behavior which is also known as anti-social behavior.

Scholars have constructed and evaluated many different theories of law, crime, and punishment. Unfortunately, there is relatively little agreement among criminology is multidisciplinary field comprised of conflicting theological, philosophical, biological, psychological and sociological perspectives.

Psychological theories of criminology start with the vision that different approaches in behavior may create some people more inclined to committing several criminal acts. These individual differences may occur from biological factors, personality characteristics, or social interactions.

The psychological theories hold the concept that terrorists believes that they are not doing anything by killing people. They appear to follow the disorder of anti social personality and psychotic personality, which is appeared by lack of empathy for others (Varese 2001).

According to Sigmund Freud, who is basically attributed with all the development of psychoanalytic theory, every human have ordinary force and urges introverted in unawareness. Moreover, every people have certain tendencies of criminology. However, all these tendencies through the main process of socialization are basically restricted by the progress of inside controls ...