NCJ Number
7654
Journal
JOURNAL OF CRIMINAL, CRIMINOLOGY AND POLICE SCIENCE Volume: 63 Issue: 4 Dated: (DECEMBER 1972) Pages: 530-539
Date Published
1972
Length
10 pages
Annotation
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEVERITY AND CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT FOR THE MAJOR INDEX CRIMES WAS ANALYZED FROM DATA ON REPORTED CRIMES AND PRISON ADMISSIONS.
Abstract
DETERRENCE THEORY SUGGESTS THAT SEVERITY AND CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT ARE ADDITIVE FACTORS IN THEIR EFFECT ON OFFENSE RATES. IN ORDER TO EXAMINE THIS RELATIONSHIP, INDICES WERE CONSTRUCTED FOR THREE TIME PERIODS, UTILIZING OFFICIAL STATISTICS ON CRIMES REPORTED TO THE POLICE, ADMISSIONS TO PRISONS, AND LENGTH OF PRISONER SENTENCES. IT WAS FOUND THAT THERE WAS AN INVERSE TREND IN THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SEVERITY AND CERTAINTY OF PUNISHMENT FOR EACH OF THE INDEX CRIMES, AS WELL AS BETWEEN CHANGES IN THE LEVELS OF THESE TWO VARIABLES.