The components of a learning structure include the access to the tools or hardware needed, access to places and victims, and most importantly access to contacts. Learning structures have both civil knowledge and technical knowledge. Civil knowledge is common knowledge that most individuals know. Technical knowledge is knowledge specifically related to a certain field. In the case of Sam Goodman, civil knowledge knows the ballpark prices of the stolen goods that are brought into his shop, whereas technical knowledge would be how to break into a safe. .
The performance structure is the opportunity to perform the learned roles once a skill has been acquired. For example, the classroom is one of my legitimate learning structures. In one of my Administration of Justice classes, I learned my rights as an American citizen, and I learned the basics of the law and what I can do/cannot do. The performance structure would thus be everyday life how to act legitimately in society. An example of how objective availability is related to an illegitimate field was at a party where a lot of underage drinking was occurring. I knew from taking the class that a police officer is not allowed to enter a residence without a search warrant. Therefore, I did not have to let him in the house, and since he did not physically see anyone drinking, I spared everyone at the party a charge of underage drinking. .
In addition to the above examples, there are several other instances of how objective availability has determined whether I have successfully engaged in a crime in the past, or whether I will engage in a crime in the future. For these, both learning and performing structures are located in the illegitimate field. Since I am not twenty-one, my performance structure for drinking consists of knowing individuals who are twenty-one (or older) and are willing to buy me alcohol. The learning structure for drinking alcohol occurred in my sophomore year in high school when I first started drinking with my friends in their basement.
