Prison Term Policy Proposal Paper

Prison Term Policy Recommendation Proposal
September 9, 2013

Armed robbery is a serious crime that can put many people in harm’s way. Whether a person is robbing a place of business or an individual, they are committing a crime against society and robbing people of their sense of safety and security. When someone chooses to bring a weapon while they are committing a crime, their intentions are to intimidate and control their victims, or to injure them. Policymakers continuously work on bills that try to deter people from committing crimes and reduce the recidivism rate of offenders. When a person decides to commit a crime such as armed robbery, there is a level of free will involved. Most
Sometimes a person chooses to commit a crime early on in their life and studies have shown that the part of a young person’s brain that controls impulsivity, has not yet had a chance to fully develop. Yet criminologist psychological research shows that, “Problem children are likely to become problem adults.” (Schmalleger, (2012), p. 143). There is much debate on whether juveniles should be given special consideration during their process of facing the juvenile justice system. There is no clear cut answer that has proven to be successful in regards to young offenders. The questions remain: Is it better to give them a shorter length sentence to give them the opportunity to rehabilitate as they become young adults? Or, due to research that shows they are more likely to commit crimes as adults, Is it a better option to keep them in institutes for a longer period of time to protect the general public? This factor, along with many other contributing factors, is taken into account by the judge while they are determining the sentencing of
As a criminologist advisor, my recommendation would be to vote for this bill that is being considered. I have considered that pros and cons of the bill and feel that the positive affects of the bill outweigh the negative. Publicizing the punishment involved in a crime such as armed robbery, may deter people from being involved in this type of violent act. Increasing the maximum sentence for violent, weapon involved crimes can keep citizens that choose to follow the law safe from people who choose not to. There have been numerous theories developed on why people choose to break the law, but the bottom line is that they do and they must face the consequences for their decisions. The psychological elements that play a role in why a person decides to commit a crime are important in the area of deterrence. Adding mandatory years to the sentence for committing a crime such as armed robbery, may be a positive attribute to the prevention of future crimes of this kind. Psychologically, a person considering a life of crime might be convinced not to if they understand the extensive punishment they face if they do. (Schmalleger, (2012), p.