The Threat of Deterrence Using Different Methods, Essay Example

Cesare Beccaria is correct when he says that the threat of imprisonment deters people from committing crimes. When people are afraid that they may go to jail or prison one often re-thinks their decisions to commit crimes. What are some other forms of deterrence to stop people from committing crimes and re-committing? Can they break the statistics that once one goes to jail the person will most likely return? I think so! Beccaria was known as the protector of prisoners. He had no formal education aside from criminologists assisting him and learning directly from prisoners.

Deterrence is another way to stop people from committing crimes. It is based on a psychological theory that people can control their behaviors through self-control and fear. Specific deterrence focuses on a person’s will to not want to return to jail or prison. This is the shaping form of criminology. The theory follows that of retributive justice.

Utilitarians believe that the punishment should fit the crime and not be too harsh. Retributivism and utilitarism often clash because of Beccaria’s theory. Utilitarian’s look for the future of the criminal whereas Berecca states that only fear will enhance the idea not to commit a crime. Utilitarian theory is based on reformation. Reformation is the idea that all criminals can be “taught” not to commit crimes through programming of the mind and to be shown justification through educating the prisoner rather than just imprisoning the criminal. Notice I say criminal because Berecca’s theory believes once a criminal always a criminal whereas reformation looks at the individual and believes “all can be reformed with education and purpose in social standing”. There is nothing that lives stronger in a human being than education and hope of a “better life”.

Hence I vehemently believe the reformation theory is the better of the two discussed because imprisoning a person and not teaching them right from wrong and giving them reason to not commit a crime again is the key to stopping re-committing.

References:

“College of Criminology and Criminal Justice” http://www.criminology.fsu.edu/crimtheory/beccaria.htm.