NIJ FY 14 Research on Offender Decision Making and Desistance from Crime

The study of adult offender decision-making and desistance to commit crime typically has been approached from a rational choice perspective and a life-course perspective, respectively. With this solicitation, NIJ seeks to expand the existing research by examining the process of adult offender decision-making. NIJ requests proposals that either expand the rational choice model and/or life-course model, use other theories to explain either the choice to commit crime or to desist from committing crime (e.g., behavioral economics, business models, psychology, or cognitive models), or any combination of these. Proposed research also should consider issues such as social context, emotions, default choices, or possibly environmental context to gain a better understanding of the overall decision-making process to commit or desist from committing crimes.