Crime Fighting in The United States/Deterrence

In penology and criminology, deterrence is the concept that the threat of punishment deters people from committing crime and reduce the probability and/or level of offending in society. It is one of five objectives that punishment is thought to achieve; the other four objectives are denunciation, incapacitation (for the protection of society), retribution and rehabilitation. Its effectiveness has been widely studied by criminologists, who measure two factors: 1) the severity of the punishment, and 2) the likelihood of being caught. Read on to learn more about what's effective and what's not effective in combating crime.

Effective methods of deterring crime

• Research shows clearly that the chance of being caught is a vastly more effective deterrent than even draconian punishment. Criminals are more likely to be deterred by knowing they are likely to be caught in the act than by the fact that the act will have severe consequences. For example, a bank robber is likely more deterred by the "likely to get caught" part than the "X years in prison" part.
• The presence of police is also an effective deterrent. Their presence strengthens the criminal's perception of the certainty of being caught. As the severity of the punishment is shown to be ineffective as a deterrent, a new law that increases the severity of the penalty is unlikely to be effective at deterring crime. On the other hand, when it comes to deterrence of criminals, the presence of a police officer with handcuffs and a radio is scientifically effective without even trying.

Ineffective or inconclusive methods of deterring crime

• The severity of the punishment is an ineffective deterrent. Prisons are good for punishing criminals and keeping them off the street, but prison sentences (particularly long sentences) are unlikely to deter future crime. Unfortunately, prisons may have the perverse effect. Criminals, while incarcerated, interact and communicate with fellow inmates, potentially learning new crime strategies from each other, and criminals, over time, may get "used to" prison, thereby becoming desensitized to the concept of being incarcerated in the future. Increasing the severity of the punishment does little or nothing to deter crime.
• The death penalty has not been shown to deter criminals. According to the National Academy of Sciences, "Research on the deterrent effect of capital punishment is uninformative about whether capital punishment increases, decreases, or has no effect on homicide rates."