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Does the Perceived Risk of Punishment Deter Criminally Prone Individuals - Rational Choice, Self-Control and Crime.Pdf

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Does the Perceived Risk of Punishment Deter Criminally Prone Individuals - Rational Choice, Self-Control and Crime.Pdf
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency http://jrc.sagepub.com/

Does the Perceived Risk of Punishment Deter Criminally Prone Individuals? Rational Choice, Self-Control, and Crime
Bradley R. E. Wright, Avshalom Caspi, Terrie E. Moffitt and Ray Paternoster Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency 2004 41: 180 DOI: 10.1177/0022427803260263 The online version of this article can be found at: http://jrc.sagepub.com/content/41/2/180

Published by: http://www.sagepublications.com On behalf of:
School of Criminal Justice, Rutgers - Newark

Additional services and information for Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency can be found at: Email Alerts: http://jrc.sagepub.com/cgi/alerts Subscriptions: http://jrc.sagepub.com/subscriptions Reprints: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsReprints.nav Permissions: http://www.sagepub.com/journalsPermissions.nav Citations: http://jrc.sagepub.com/content/41/2/180.refs.html

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Wright et al. JOURNAL / CRIMINALLY ARTICLE OF RESEARCH PRONE INDIVIDUALS 10.1177/0022427803260263 IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY

DOES THE PERCEIVED RISK OF PUNISHMENT DETER CRIMINALLY PRONE INDIVIDUALS? RATIONAL CHOICE, SELF-CONTROL, AND CRIME
BRADLEY R. E. WRIGHT AVSHALOM CASPI TERRIE E. MOFFITT RAY PATERNOSTER

Society’s efforts to deter crime with punishment may be ineffective because those individuals most prone to commit crime often act impulsively, with little thought for the future, and so they may be unmoved by the threat of later punishment. Deterrence messages they receive, therefore, may fall on deaf ears. This article examines this issue by testing the relationship between criminal propensity, perceived risks and costs of punishment, and criminal behavior. The authors analyzed data from the Dunedin (New Zealand) Study, a longitudinal study of individuals from birth through age 26 (N = 1,002). They found that in fact, deterrence perceptions had their greatest


Citations: http://jrc.sagepub.com/content/41/2/180.refs.html Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 Wright et al Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 182 JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 184 JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 Wright et al 186 JOURNAL OF RESEARCH IN CRIME AND DELINQUENCY ation of a delayed deterrence effect has been noted by others (Cromwell, Olson, and Avary 1991; Meisenhelder 1977; West 1978) Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 Wright et al Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 Wright et al Downloaded from jrc.sagepub.com at UNIV OF CONNECTICUT on May 17, 2011 Wright et al
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