NCJ Number
160576
Journal
Criminology Volume: 33 Issue: 4 Dated: (November 1995) Pages: 519-538
Date Published
1995
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This paper critiques Jack Katz's theory that people's immediate environment and experiences encourage offenders to construct property crimes as sensually compelling.
Abstract
In his controversial challenge to criminologists, Katz argues for a re-examination of situational factors that precipitate criminal acts, specifically those that concern crime's sensual dynamics. Although acknowledging that Katz's theory is insightful, this critique believes that his thesis is limited, particularly as it applies to "sneaky thrill" property crime. Katz's emphasis on the enticements of theft, at the expense of other variables, negates a considerable body of research and leaves a theoretical hiatus that encourages explanations grounded in individual pathology. This paper suggests a revision of Katz's approach that addresses these concerns. It tests this reformulation with models of various stages of "sneaky thrill" theft. The results of this analysis affirm that the seduction of theft has an important instrumentalist component and is influenced by several background factors, namely, age, gender, and the strain associated with inadequate economic opportunities. 2 tables and 36 references