This weeks topics are focused on deterrence and repeat victimization. When discussing deterrence one thing that must always be discussed is the death penalty. Academics and policy makers are split on the issues regarding the death penalty with many saying it doesn’t serve any legitimate purpose while others saying it has deterrent or moral value. Some researchers argue that rather than a deterrent effect, the death penalty actually has a brutalization effect, meaning that homicides increase due to a number reasons such as a lower value being placed on human life. Others view the death penalty as filling other valuable purposes of justice besides deterrence.
Your textbook talks about 3 characteristics that are required for any punishment to have a deterrent effect.
Before beginning the discussion I advise reading the textbook and finding out what those 3 characteristics are, and what the author has to say about the effectiveness of those 3 effects individually!
After reading/watching all materials assigned to you this week respond to the following prompts:
Prompt 1. What are the 3 characteristics required for any punishment to have a deterrent effect & how important is each one to prevention according to your textbook?
Prompt 2. Based on these 3 characteristics is the death penalty an effective deterrent?
Prompt 3. Make your case: should the death penalty continue to be utilized (for deterrent effect or otherwise) and if so why?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceVYO03zcZUhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceVYO03zcZU
