Anomie Reconsidered: Exaggerated Aspirations, Risk-Taking and Criminal Achievement

Abstract

Assessing offenders’ decision-making and stubborn persistence in crime has been an important challenge for criminologists. In this study, we focus on a key dimension of micro-anomie: exaggerated aspirations. An inmate survey in Quebec’s penitentiaries provided key information on inmates’ earnings during the three years prior to their current incarceration. Respondents’ criminal aspirations were elicited by asking them the amount of legitimate earnings that would “persuade” them to abandon their involvement in market and property offences. The disjuncture between their criminal aspirations and their likely prospects in conformity is found to have had a direct and significant impact on their risk-taking during the window period, controlling for low self-control predispositions and other related factors. Self-reported stakes in crime and conformity were used to identify their actual risk preferences during the window period. Findings also suggest that avoidance strategies minimizing losses caused by missed criminal opportunities may provide key insights on criminal aspirations, risk preferences, and likely duration of viable criminal careers.