Three Components Of Deterrence Theory Of Crime

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Deterrence theory holds that the fear of punishment prevents people from offending. There are three components of deterrence theory: certainty, severity, and celerity. The effectiveness of deterrence depends on how punishment is executed. Punishment must take place promptly after a crime is committed, and must be proportional to the crime. Punishment cannot focus too much on severity because it could lead to brutality by the State. Although there is obvious logic to deterrence theory, there are some limitations to it. Some crimes are not planned, so the offender cannot take the time to weigh the costs and benefits of a punishment before committing the crime. Many murders can be considered “crimes of passion” because they were unplanned yet took place due to extreme, sudden circumstances. Life imprisonment or the death penalty is not necessarily a deterrent for this type of crime because, usually, the crime is not premeditated. An individual’s …show more content…

The former focuses on preventing recidivism while the latter focuses on stopping would-be offenders from committing crime. Although going to jail prevents some people from committing future crimes, specific deterrence does not acknowledge the role jail can have on individuals continuing to offend. Once an individual has been in jail, depending on their age, race, or ethnicity, they may be labeled as miscreants or thugs. When this label has been applied to an individual, he or she may continue to engage in deviant or criminal behavior because that is what is expected from him or her. Specific deterrence also does not account for people becoming accustomed to prison life. If someone has been incarcerated for an extended period of time, they may experience a culture shock when they leave prison and try to reenter the community. This may cause an individual to offend in order to return to their familiar life in

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