Essay On Deterrence Theory

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The basic premise of deterrence theory is that strong penalties lead to an avoidance of crime – the foundation of our criminal justice system. Furthermore, there is a distinction to be made between general and specific deterrence. While general deterrence refers to effects of the law on the general public, specific deterrence refers to effects of the law on those who have directly experienced it (Stafford & Warr, 1993). Deterrence theory works best when punishment is swift, certain, and severe. However, it is unlikely to encounter punishment that fulfills all three of the previously mentioned criteria, as crime is often not certain nor swift. Another limitation of deterrence theory is that it assumes people act rationally, although this is …show more content…
First, they argue that punishment avoidance encourages further illegal behavior because the absence of punishment can act as a reward or means of reinforcement. Subsequently, we must not simply look at the severity of a given punishment; rather, we must also look at an individual’s perception of whether or not they will get punished. Furthermore, if a person has close associates who have committed similar crimes, their perception of crime and punishment will vary based on the extent to which their associates have avoided punishment for these crimes. Therefore, this more thorough conceptualization of deterrence could help alter common perceptions that severity of punishment is the leading cause of deterrence and provide a multidimensional explanation for crime causation. Moreover, it may influence views of the criminal justice system in general by reducing the emphasis on hard control strategies and instead support crime prevention strategies that address factors other than the severity of punishment for certain crimes, such as decriminalizing particular forms of lawlessness and reducing discrimination in the criminal justice

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