THIS ESSAY REVIEWS MAJOR HISTORICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF OFFENSES FROM THE 18TH THROUGH THE MID-20TH CENTURY; ASSESSES THEORIES OF THE PAST FEW DECADES; AND INTEGRATES ALL STILL-VIABLE EXPLANATIONS OF WILLFUL LAWBREAKING INTO A DIFFERENTIAL ANTICIPATION THEORY. THE PRINCIPLES OF THIS THEORY ARE LARGELY SUPPORTED BY CORRECTIONAL EVALUATION STUDIES, AND DEMONSTRATE THAT LOWER RECIDIVISM RATES FOR MANY OFFENDERS CAN BE ACHIEVED BY MEASURES THAT STRENGTHEN THE CONVENTIONAL BONDS, EFFECTIVELY TRAIN OFFENDERS FOR LEGITIMATE OCCUPATIONS, AND IMPROVE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES FOR GAINING ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY. THE THEORY ALSO SUPPORTS EFFORTS TO REDUCE CRIME OPPORTUNITIES BY ANY OF A VARIETY OF METHODS (FINES, PROBATION, INCARCERATION) WHEN THEIR BENEFIT TO SOCIETY OFFSETS THEIR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC COSTS. THUS, DECISIONMAKERS CAN DESIGN SENTENCES AND CORRECTIONAL PRACTICES THAT MINIMIZE BONDS AMONG CRIMINALS AND THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY ARE CRIMINALIZED BY EACH OTHER, AND MAXIMIZE THE BONDS OF OFFENDERS TO CONVENTIONAL PERSONS AND TO THEIR LEARNING AND OPPORTUNITIES. THE THEORY OF DIFFERENTIAL ANTICIPATION CAN PROVIDE, THEREFORE, A FOUNDATION FOR SENSIBLE AND HOPEFUL PUBLIC POLICIES. A LIST OF REFERENCES IS GIVEN. (MJW)