Choice Theory was developed by William Glasser, MD. Glasser suggests that human behavior is determined by four components: thinking, acting, feeling, and physiology. However, Glasser only believes that we have conscious control over acting and thinking. Choice theorists believe that the decision making process whether good or bad affects the way an individual feels emotionally and could possibly drive the individual to commit acts of delinquency. Juvenile delinquents are not deterred from crime as long as the benefits of the crime outweigh the consequences. This action alone suggests that the offender has a rational understanding of their actions and chooses to commit a delinquent act regardless. Many factors must be considered when applying any theory to a criminal or delinquent act; some of those factors include opportunity, economic need, financial accomplishment, and parental guardianship. Choice theory operates on the assumption that a motivated offender needs only a want or a goal in order to commit a delinquent act. In order for any act to be committed, a choice theorist expects an individual to calculate or predict multiple outcomes and then decide which option would potentially provide optimum results for the least amount of input. However, what has left this theory open to criticism is the fact that a large portion of choice theory is based on the belief that a juvenile is capable of making a rational decision. The most widely known counterpart to choice theory is trait theory.

Trait theory is a behavioral and environmental approach to the human personality. Dr. C. George Boeree defines a trait as ‘a characteristic way in which an individual perceives, feels, believes, or acts’. Gordon Allport was one of the first psychologists to study human traits. Allport broke down human trait character