LS227 Chapter Notes - Chapter 15: Mandatory Sentencing, Project Hope, Labeling Theory
2 Dec 2016
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Deterrence, routine activity and rational choice theories - ch 15. Understand the role of law as a deterrent to crime. How offenders make choices to commit an offence. If it is to our advantage, and we think we can get away with it, we will break the law. The best method of deterrence is therefore to set up an intense punishment system to make sure that the risk outweighs the bene t. Punishments should be sever enough to deter people from committing crime, but it should be proportionate to the crime committed. The law and criminal code is the deterrent. Since sending people to prison is expensive, it is important to discover if harsher prison sentences actually deter crime. Certainty of punishment is more important than severity of punishment. Some research indicates that longer prison sentences may actually increase the rate of future criminal behaviour.
