Psychological Theories Of Crime And Deterrence Punishment

Deterrence theory suggests that a person will not commit a crime if the perceived punishment outweighs the benefit they receive from committing the crime. The punishment usually has three components. The punishment must be swift. The punishment must be certain. The punishment must outweigh the benefit. The punishment must be swift, so the offender knows that they are being punished for. The offender is less likely to commit the crime if they believe they are certain to be caught and punished. If the punishment is less severe than the reward, then the offender has more incentive to commit the crime.