Jonathan Gann w0189144 I'm a hustler, babyRapper Jay Z once proclaimed, "I'm a hustler baby." I just want you to know...this isn't where I've been, but where I'm about to go. Although he doesn't reference criminals in the hit song, his lyrics strike a chord when it comes to the "Hustlers" mentioned in "Burglars on the Job." There are a multitude of internal and external factors that motivate a person to commit crimes such as burglary, but from contextual factors alone we cannot say with certainty why a crime was committed by a selected person. It is essential to study and begin to understand why people commit crimes as well as how they perceive their behavior. History and statistics have shown that simply adjusting our justice system to incapacitate these offenders has had little to no impact on crime in our country. Professors Richard T. Wright and Scott Decker risked their lives to pursue an academic study that sheds light on the perspective of burglars and how they interpret their actions. Many theorists believe that criminals are utilitarian and carefully weigh the potential costs and rewards of their illegal actions (p. 4). Both gentlemen posit, however, that there are multiple facets of criminals to be discovered and considered through intimate contacts in the field. While Chambliss and Polsky were reluctant to work "in the wild," Wright and Decker believed it was the best way to collect accurate data. They preferred to observe burglars in their natural habitat rather than speaking with offenders already incarcerated in the criminal justice system environment. One of the few studies involving active burglars, the book describes the motivation, considerations, and choices burglars make at each stage of the crime. Follow...... middle of paper ......tt Decker showed in his book that there are many aspects of criminals to consider. “Burglars at Work” is the definitive book on how burglars operate. It provides a lot of in-depth information for those interested in the mindset of criminals as well as anyone who wants to protect their home. Although primarily an academic study, “The Burglars” is a fascinating piece of criminology that we can all learn something from. After recently reading this book, I find myself thinking about various aspects of deviance when traveling to neighborhoods different from my own. I compare my previous thoughts and misconceptions to the knowledge I gained from reading and realize that there are many more factors that cause crime than I previously thought. It was an eye-opening experience that will surely lead me to further research into the inner workings of social deviants..