Final answer:
According to Cornish and Clarke's Rational Choice Theory, criminal involvement decisions are most heavily influenced by immediate situational factors, such as time and place, with individuals performing a cost-benefit analysis before engaging in crime.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to Cornish and Clarke's Rational Choice Theory, the statement that is true is: a. criminal involvement decisions tend to be most heavily influenced by immediate situational factors (time,place, etc.).
Rational Choice Theory posits that individuals make decisions to commit crime based on a cost-benefit analysis of the expected outcomes. It suggests that criminals consider the potential benefits against the risks and costs, such as the likelihood of getting caught and the severity of the repercussions. This approach sees crime as the result of deliberate choices made after considering both situational factors and potential gains.
It is understood that people may measure their options differently based on their personal circumstances, which can include their socioeconomic status or available opportunities, and that their decisions can be influenced by external factors such as the immediate environment or the presence of law enforcement. Hence, while individual traits and background factors may contribute, it is immediate situational factors that tend to have a significant impact on the decision to engage in criminal activity.