SOC 2700 Lecture : Contemporary Classicism.docx

• School: University of Guelph
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 2700
• Professor: Scott Brandon

Document Summary

Motivation and choice in crime as predicting crime free will: classical thought: early influences. Cesare beccaria forethought to crime, rationality and accountability. Jeremy bentham people weigh consequences and benefits of crime. Utilitarian philosophy greatest good for greatest number: core ideas: People also fear punishment alter their behaviour so they can outsmart police. Methods of crime prevention: deterrence theory. Punishment can deter crime: how to reduce or stop crime. Do they increase or decrease crime limited data shows that it works: crimes of passion = deterrence less likely to work. Scared straight program juvenile delinquents brought to prison: other debates: problems of certainty. Tests of absolute deterrence and marginal deterrence: other debates: problem of severity. Brutalization effect i. e. public executions, influence people to become more violent: tests of deterrence. Scared straight programs bring teens into prisons to scare them out of committing crime. People are rational by nature human nature and weighing costs.