Deterrence

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Deterrence is also the title of a 1999 movie and a theory of punishment. See Deterrence (disambiguation).

Criminology and Penology

Theories
Anomie
Differential Association Theory
Deviance
Labelling Theory
Rational Choice Theory
Social Control Theory
Social Disorganisation Theory
Social Learning Theory
Strain Theory
Subcultural Theory
Symbolic Interactionism · Victimology
Types of crimes
Blue-collar crime · Corporate crime
Juvenile crime
Organised crime
Political crime · Public order crime
Public order case law in the U.S.
State crime · State-corporate crime
White-collar crime
Penology
Deterrence · Prison
Prison reform · Prisoner abuse
Prisoners' rights · Rehabilitation (penology)>Rehabilitation
Recidivism · Retributive justice>Retribution
Utilitarianism

See also:

Deterrence is a theory from behavioural psychology about preventing or controlling actions or behavior through fear of punishment or retribution. This theory of criminology is shaping the criminal justice system of the United States and various other countries. It strongly overpowers other theories of human behavor in the corrections industries, such as rehabilitiation and education.

Deterrence can be divided into two separate categories.

General deterrence manifests itself in policy whereby examples are made of deviants. The individual actor is not the focus of the attempt at behavioural change, but rather receives punishment in public view in order to deter other individuals from deviance in the future.

Specific deterrence focuses on the individual deviant and attempts to correct his or her behavior. Punishment is meant to discourage the individual from recitivating.

Both forms of deterrence assume rationality on the part of deviants and criminals, and that crime can ultimately be prevented through altering the cost benefit ratios of such behaviour.

At the military level, the principle is expressed in deterrence theory.

There is some debate over whether deterrence is achieved through

the higher probability of arrest and conviction, and/or,
severity of punishment, or
denunciation,

and whether it is aimed at others or the offender themselves or both.

To read more about severity of punishment in relation to deterrence, see Mendes, M. & McDonald, M. D., [2001] “Putting Severity of Punishment Back in the Deterrence Package” in Policy Studies Journal, vol. 29, no. 4, p.588-610, and Moberly, Sir W. H., [1968] The Ethics of Punishment.

To read more about the argument concerning who deterrence is aimed at see Beccaria and Bentham’s ideas as presented in Moberly, Sir W. H., [1968] The Ethics of Punishment.

Deterrence

See also