Seeking a criminal partner is not unlike searching for a dance partner on a Saturday night. Humans are inherently social creatures, driven by the innate need to connect with others. We interact with other people almost every day, forming a so-called "social network". Interestingly, regardless of the end goal - whether it is dancing or robbery - the mechanisms underlying these social connections have remarkable similarities.
The ability to read the mind of criminals for sure sounds exciting. However, as exciting as it may sound, assessing anyone’s decision-making processes is not the most straightforward task. This post will give a brief overview of the behavioral economics, psychology, and criminology literature on offenders’ decision-making. It will be discussed whether actions of crime can be considered rational and whether social influence plays a role in criminal behavior.