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Deterrence Theory Essay

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Recommended: Theories around deterrence

Brendon Mcconney
Criminology Theory
4/15/2023
Introduction
I finally settled on the Deterrence theory as my theory of choice. According to the deterrence theory, hedonistic and rational individuals will be discouraged from committing crimes if they are aware that they will be punished and that the punishment must be certain, which means that it is highly likely that the individual who is committing the crime will be apprehended and punished, Swift indicates that the punishment must be administered quickly in order to be effective; prolonging the punishment would have the opposite effect. Severe implies that the punishment must correspond to the offense and should not be excessively harsh in order to have a negative impact. The deterrence theory …show more content…

But assumptions two and three pose more of a challenge. It is assumed that everyone will feel threatened by the punishment for the offense, however this is not always the case. Being arrested and spending time in jail or prison is a way of life for some people. Additionally, data indicates that a significant portion of arrestees are under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of their infraction, which is why people do not always make reasonable decisions. The article goes into great detail about the state of deterrence in the twenty-first century by giving examples and historical information to help the reader understand the overall significance of the …show more content…

Over the years, deterrence has evolved and improved, having a significant impact on society. There are two types of deterrence: general and specific. The goal of general deterrence is to prevent society as a whole from committing crimes by penalizing an offender. To "scare" society away from crime, in other words, the punishment is being used as an example. Programs like "scared straight" initiatives and boot camps for juvenile offenders continue to rely on the deterrence idea.

References
QUACKENBUSH, S. (2011). Deterrence theory: Where do we stand? Review of International Studies, 37(2), 741-762. doi:10.1017/S0260210510000896
Deterrence theory - Māra Lustes blogs | Māris luste. (n.d.). Retrieved April 16, 2023, from https://marisluste.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/deterrence-theory.pdf
Morgan, P. M. (2017, July 27). The concept of deterrence and deterrence theory. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Politics. Retrieved April 16, 2023, from

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