Jonathan Gann w0189144 I'm a hustler, babyrapper Jay Z once proclaimed, “I'm a hustler, baby. I just want you to know... it's not where I've been, but where I'm going." While he wasn't referring to the criminals in the hit song, his words strike a chord regarding the "Hustlers" discussed in "Burglars on the Job". There are numerous internal and external factors that motivate a person to commit crimes such as burglary, but through underlying factors alone we cannot say with certainty why a crime was committed by a selected person. It is crucial to study and begin to understand why people commit crimes and how they view their behavior. History and statistics have shown that simply adjusting our justice system to neutralize these offenders has had little to no impact on crime in our nation. Professors Richard T. Wright and Scott Decker risked their lives to carry out an academic study that sheds light on the perspective of thieves and how they interpret what they do. Many theorists believe that criminals are utilitarian and carefully evaluate the potential costs and benefits of their illegal actions (p4). These two gentlemen, however, hypothesized that there are multiple facets of criminals to be discovered and considered through intimate contact in the field. While Chambliss and Polsky were reluctant to work on “In the wild,” Wright and Decker believed this was the best way to collect accurate data. They preferred to observe thieves in their natural habitat rather than talk to already incarcerated offenders in the criminal justice system environment. The book, one of the few studies involving active thieves, describes the motivations, considerations and choices thieves make during each stage of the crime. Continued...... middle of paper......tt Decker showed in their book that there are many aspects of criminals to consider. “Burglars on the Job” is the definitive book on how thieves work. It provides many deep insights for those interested in the mentality of criminals and anyone who wants to protect their home. Although primarily an academic study, "Burglars" is a fascinating piece of criminology that we can all learn something from. After recently reading this book, I find myself reflecting on various aspects of deviance when I travel to neighborhoods other than my own. I compare my previous thoughts and misconceptions with the knowledge I have learned through reading and realize that there are many more factors that determine crime than I had previously believed. This was an eye-opening experience that will surely lead me to further investigate the inner workings of social deviants.