Wright - Deterrence in Criminal Justice

• state and fed incarceration rates increase
• recently sentencing policy goals: enhancing deterrent effect of crim justice system
  • research shows the certainty of punishment is more likely to produce deterrent benefits
• conceptualizing deterrence
  • increases certainty of punishment, offenders may be deterred by risk of apprehension
  • severity of punishment may influence behavior
  • problems:
  • assumes that ppl consider the consequences before they act
    • ½ state prisoners under influence of drugs / alcohol
  • most crimes don’t result in an arrest and conviction
  • in order for sanctions to deter, potential offenders need to be aware of sanction risks / consequences
• certainty vs severity of punishment
  • certainty of punishment more effective deterrent
  • more severe sentences fail to enhance public safety
  • increases risk that lower-risk offenders will be negatively affected by incarceration
  • being incarcerated increases risk of recidivism. also being there longer increases
  • reduced sentences may reduce recidivism rates
• economic costs of more severe sentences
  • reducing number of incarcerated non-violent offenders by half could save taxpayers $16.9 billion annually w/o putting public safety at risk
  • ex: non-violent drug offenders would benefit more from drug treatment in community based programs

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