The routine activity theory, which first sought to explain direct-contact predatory violations, states three minimal elements for this type of crime, i.e., a likely offender, a suitable target, and the absence of a capable guardian against crime. The rational choice approach was developed in the context of situational crime prevention, which attempts to block opportunities for crime through environmental change. This chapter compares and contrasts the two approaches in general terms, reviews other related criminological theories, and discusses the extent to which these two theories should seek to coexist with traditional theory, or seek to replace it. 1 table and 31 references