Deterrence (psychological)
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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. This is also demonstrated in the Islamic Crime & Punishment system (Hodood), applied 1400 years ago, where the punishment for crimes is performed in public, and is highly deterring mainly aiming at general social deterrence.
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.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Deterrence and the Death Penalty Statistical information and studies
[edit] Further reading
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.
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