SOC-3340 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Social Forces, Risk Perception
31 Aug 2016
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A rational choice approach to punishment: assumes that we have the information necessary to make decisions, assumes that we want to maximize pleasure and minimize pain. Therefore, when making decisions, people weigh the likelihood of a positive outcome versus the potential costs and benefits. On average, a college graduate can expect to earn . 3m dollars more over their lifetime than a high school graduate. In state: ,000 per year; out of state: ,000 per year. On average, a high school grad can make approximately ,000 per year. So, over five years, the cost would be ,000 (in state) or ,000 (out of state). By increasing certainty of getting caught, a lawmaker could change a criminal"s assessment of whether or not committing a crime is a good idea. Similarly, by increasing the severity of punishment, a lawmaker could change a criminal"s assessment of whether or not committing a crime is a good idea.
