ABSTRACT
This chapter attempts to clarify the concept of opportunity from the perspective of self-control theory. It deals with the offense and the offender from the perspective of self-control theory. Self-control theory assumes that the nature of the offender may be inferred from the nature of criminal acts, and vice versa. Self-control theory sees criminal acts to be as “easy as falling down a mountain.” Self-control theory sees criminal acts as exciting, risky, or thrilling. Self-control theory sees crime as producing only meager short-term benefits. In self-control theory, individuals are restrained from crime because they care about the long-term or broader consequences of their behavior. Because they take the easy way, because they gain little from their crimes and risk much from committing them, offenders are characterized as having relatively little self-control. Self-control and opportunity may therefore interact for specific crimes, but are in the general case independent.
