Deterrence Theory

Criminal justice refers to the institutions, processes, and practices by which societies respond to crime, including policing, courts, and corrections. Due process, by contrast, is the principle that ensures the protection of individual rights and liberties against arbitrary state power. Together, they reflect one of the central tensions of modern legal systems: the balance between

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Classical & Rational Choice Classical and rational choice theories share a fundamental assumption: crime results from free and rational choices made by autonomous individuals. Unlike etiological theories that emphasize deterministic causes such as biological predispositions or socialization processes, classical and rational theories maintain that all people have the capacity to weigh costs and benefits and

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Deterrence theories conceptualize crime as the result of rational decision-making, where the anticipated costs of punishment are weighed against the potential benefits of offending. Punishment is understood not merely as retribution but as a calculated instrument to prevent crime by shaping individual choice. Key Points Deterrence theories Main Proponents: Cesare Beccaria, Jeremy Bentham, Franz von

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  Classical criminology explains crime as the outcome of rational choices made by free and responsible individuals, emphasizing deterrence, proportionality, and legal equality. Key Points Classical Criminology Main Proponents: Cesare Beccaria, Jeremy Bentham, John Howard, Samuel Romilly, John Anselm von Feuerbach, Sir Robert Peel, Samuel Pufendorf First Published: Mid to late 18th century Country: Italy,

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