Deterrence Theory Essay

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Deterrence Theory
The deterrence theory is frequently linked to the idea of harsh, cruel punishment because the fear of consequences is a significant motivator in crime deterrence. As we learned from the book, the deterrence theory can be defined as the idea that crime rates should decrease if there is a higher likelihood of being arrested, convicted, and punished. When examining a theory, there are three main components: assumptions, concepts, and propositions. The term assumptions are also known to be the fact that is assumed to be true about a trait or behavior of individuals. Concepts are the fundamental units of abstract thought around which theory is built. Then, an explanation of the theory is included in the propositions to try to focus …show more content…

The predominant concept of deterrence is articulated in this proposition, which essentially states that its major goal is to propose a connection between two ideas in cases where that connection cannot be established through experimentation. Knowing what a proposition is now, we observed in class that the proposition for general deterrence is that witnessing others being severely punished can generally dissuade others from committing the same offense. The proposition for specific deterrence, which holds that punishing someone severely enough can prevent them from committing the same crime again, was also covered in this …show more content…

The R/K theory of rape is an example of this idea, which we learned about in class. This is considered to be an evolutionary theory, according to the book, because it is more likely that rapists' genes are inherited. What we discovered is that although R individuals reproduce quickly and give their children little care, K individuals do the opposite. The idea was then advanced that there might be more children from R reproducers, which might help to explain why some males feel the need to commit rape. The most aggressive males, according to the book, lack a conscience, have a strong sexual desire, a lower capacity for making close emotional connections, and exhibit aggressive and violent impulses rather than creating stable households and learning how to be parents. Additionally, we discovered in class that it addresses the gender divide by explaining why sexual aggression is more common in men and less common in