Consequences of Crime

Consequences of Crime

Through the passage of time, many theorists have attempted to understand and prove the reasons for different types of human behavior, in an effort to discover an advisable way to encourage positive conduct, as well as discourage criminal action. At the same time, the question of whether or not punishment, as offered from within the punitive abilities of the criminal justice system, is sufficiently adequate to achieve these goals. In bringing answers to these problems and more, the ensuing paragraphs will cover the penalties associated with crime, various behavior reinforcement techniques and the effectiveness of current correctional methods.

As part of the criminal process, the American justice system offers different levels of consequence for actions that are in violation of the penal code, sometimes after many months or years after the crime has been committed. “Currently, five general types of punishment are in use in the United States; fines, probation, intermediate punishments, imprisonment, and death” (Bohm & Haley, 2010, p. 14). These examples, while basically punative in nature, are intended to be carried out by the local Department of Rehabilitative Corrections or halfway facility, and serve as the main deterrents of crime. Dependent upon the severity of the offense, a pre-determined period of incarceration or detention is given; however, as in the case of parole, a criminal may only spend a fraction of their prison term before release.

The choice of approach used to modify conduct is, perhaps, the most important consideration in devising a regenerative plan. With regards to the works of American psychiatrist Burrhus Frederic Skinner, who believed in the value of operant conditioning, ther...

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...ng sequence of procedures, which closely resembles a catch and release of prisoners program. So, in order to properly address behavioral issues in this country, the correctional efforts of the system will have to change focus and beliefs in punishment, by embracing positive tactics, and dispense them judiciously; for the current ways of doing business is no longer effective as society so desperately needs it to be.

References

Bohm, R. M., & Haley, K. N. (2010). Introduction to Criminal Justice. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Coon, D., & Mitterer, J. O. (2011). Psychology: A Journey (Vol. 4). Belmont: Wadsworth Publishing.

Fairfax County Police Department. (2009). Fairfax County Crime Statistics for 2009. Retrieved on July 16, 2010, from http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/mountvernon/documents/2010_tow n_meeting/fairfax_county_crime_statistics_for_2009.pdf