Deterrence Theory Of Punishment
Theories of Punishment and their Applicability to Punishment of Juveniles There are several theories that describe the administration of punishment to law offenders. Juveniles are minors who commit crimes punishable by law. There are different drives to committing crimes among the juveniles. Some commit crimes based on the benefits derived from such acts which outweigh the risks involved in such an act. Based on this drive of committing crimes, the theory of deterrence is applicable. The theory of deterrence can be categorized into two main divisions, that is, general deterrence and specific deterrence (Jacobs, 2010). In general deterrence, the law enforcers punish the lawbreakers to instil fear among other potential lawbreakers. In specific deterrence, the punishment is meant to deter the law breaker from committing any
…show more content…
This theory suggests that wrongdoers should be punished as a way of vengeance for their wrong deeds (Milevski, 2013). It also argues that punishing the lawbreaker offers satisfaction to the victim of the law breaker’s actions. Law enforcers who use this theory in punishing law breakers try to match the punishment with the magnitude of the crime committed (Milevski, 2013). Punishment may be in the form of corporal punishment or imprisonment. This theory has received a lot of critics since most people argue that this is a form of adding a crime to another crime through vengeance. This punishment may not be able to reduce the prevalence of crimes as it does not focus on future happenings. However, it can also serve as a form of deterrence from crimes. This is not a very useful model in the punishment of juveniles. This is because it may not cater for the rights of the juveniles which advocate that the magnitude of the punishment should be proportional to the individual’s age. This is because the punishment in this kind of a model focuses on the magnitude of the committed crime (Milevski,
This theory suggests that wrongdoers should be punished as a way of vengeance for their wrong deeds (Milevski, 2013). It also argues that punishing the lawbreaker offers satisfaction to the victim of the law breaker’s actions. Law enforcers who use this theory in punishing law breakers try to match the punishment with the magnitude of the crime committed (Milevski, 2013). Punishment may be in the form of corporal punishment or imprisonment. This theory has received a lot of critics since most people argue that this is a form of adding a crime to another crime through vengeance. This punishment may not be able to reduce the prevalence of crimes as it does not focus on future happenings. However, it can also serve as a form of deterrence from crimes. This is not a very useful model in the punishment of juveniles. This is because it may not cater for the rights of the juveniles which advocate that the magnitude of the punishment should be proportional to the individual’s age. This is because the punishment in this kind of a model focuses on the magnitude of the committed crime (Milevski,