ABSTRACT
The authors differentiate mechanism schemas from other forms of theory, further define what mechanism schemas are, and provide an overview of the process of constructing them. Mechanism schemas are not like logical-deductive models in that they neither contain premises from which conclusions can be deduced nor are they logical arguments. Instead, mechanism schemas are abstract representations that seek to describe completely the operations of a mechanism that produces a phenomenon of interest. The general process of developing a mechanism schema consists of: (1) characterizing the phenomenon to be explained: (2) constructing a mechanism schema which explains it; (3) evaluating the mechanism schema in light of empirical assessments of it; and (4) revising or abandoning the schema in light of the anomalies present when evaluating it. The authors argue that the mechanistic framework and method of mechanism schema construction is capable of facilitating scientific progress within criminology through its ability to produce cumulative knowledge claims about reality.
