Rational Choice Assignment
Chapter 4: Rational Choice Theory Scenario
What if you are a drug dealer, and you work on the corner of Fifth and Main Street. One morning, you walk to your corner to start work, and someone else is selling drugs there. To make matters worse, he has lower prices than you do. Clearly, he is trying to “steal” your customers, which cuts into your profit. What would you do? Do you think that the use of violence would be rational? What would be the benefits and costs of using violence?
Chapter 4: Rational Choice Theory Class Discussion/Activity
Discuss the underlying assumptions about human decision making espoused by Cesare Beccaria and Becker. What is the importance of these assumptions for classical theory?
Rational Choice Assignment
Chapter 4: Rational Choice Theory Media Tool
Watch the YouTube video “Maryland General Assembly Votes to Repeal Death Penalty” available at Maryland General Assembly Votes to Repeal Death Penalty Links to an external site. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQwCEsmTowk
⦁ NewsPolitics discusses a new bill proposed in Maryland that would repeal the death penalty. The Governor signed it into law, abolishing the death penalty in that state.
Discussion: Maryland only executed very few people. Do you think that the death penalty would have been more of a deterrent if Maryland had executed more people? Why or why not? Do you think this decision will influence other states?
Rational Choice Assignment
DEDUCTIONS: There will be points (15 points each) deducted for no heading on assignments as described in the syllabus, in appropriate font size, no margin or paragraph justification, line spacing, not stating the questions or statements, no work cited page, grammar errors, run on sentences, sentence fragments, etc.
SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS: All major assignments for this course will be submitted electronically using Canvas. Please use a standard 12-point font such as Times New Roman, Palatino, or Garamond. Use one-inch margins and standard MLA or APA headers, (citation style according to the discipline), and double-space all documents. Make sure that you include your name, title of the course and date on all submissions. Your response (answers) to all assignments must be 300 words or more for each question in order to get full credit for that particular assignment. Do not send assignments to my email address but upload them in CANVAS. Use APA referencing style.