Chapter 9 notes pt. 1

Question 1

Contrast the four basic philosphical reasons for sentencing criminals.

Answer 1

Under the principle of retriutive justice, the severity of the punishment is in porportion to the severity of the crime. Punishment is an end in itself. In contrast, the deterrence approach seeks to prevent future crimes by setting an example. Such punishment is based on its deterrent value and not necessarily on the severity of the crime. The incapacitation theory of punishment simply argues that a criminal in prison cannot inflict further harm on society. In contrast, the rehabilitation theory believes that criminals can be rehabilitated in the appropriate prison environment.

Question 2

List the four basic philosphical reasons for sentencing criminals.

Answer 2

1. retribution
2. deterrence
3. incapacitation
4. rehabilitation

Question 3

the philosophy that those whho commit criminal acts should be punished based on the severity of the crime and that no other factors need to be considered

Answer 3

retribution

Question 4

retribution relies on the principle of _____ _______.

Answer 4

just deserts

Question 5

a sanctioning philosophy based on the assertion that criminals deserve to be punished for breaking societys’ rules

Answer 5

just deserts

Question 6

the strategy of preventing crime through the threat of punishment

Answer 6

deterrence

Question 7

what are the two types of deterrence?

Answer 7

1. general deterrence

2. specific deterrence

Question 8

which type of deterrence, by punishing one person, others will be discouraged from committing a similiar crime

Answer 8

general deterrence

Question 9

which type of deterrence, assumes that an individual, after being punsihed once for a certain act, will be less likely to repeat that act because she or he doesn’t want to be punished again

Answer 9

specific deterrence

Question 10

What is the problem with general deterrence?

Answer 10

It assumes a person commits a crime only after a rational decision-making process

Question 11

What is the problem with specific deterrence?

Answer 11

a relatively small number of habitual offenders are responsible for the majority of certain criminal acts

Question 12

a strategy for preventing crime by detaining wrongdoers in prison, thereby separating them from the community and reducing criminal opportunities

Answer 12

incapacitation

Question 13

What are the problems with incapacitation?

Answer 13

• unlike retributiion, it offers no proportionally with regard to a particular crime
• protects society only until the criminal is freed
• may increase the likelihood of crime

Question 14

the philospohy that soceity is best served when wrongdoers are provided the resources needed to eliminate criminality from their behavioral pattern

Answer 14

rehabilitation

Question 15

___________ is the most humane goal of punishment

Answer 15

rehabilitation

Question 16

rehabilitation is the most ________ goal of punishment

Answer 16

humane

Question 17

after the initial shock of crime, victims are mostly concerned with?

Answer 17

1. an opportuntiy to participate in the process
2. financial reparations
3. an apology

Question 18

an approach to punsihment designed to repair the harm done to the victim and the community by the offender’s criminal act

Answer 18

restorative justice

Question 19

monetary compensation for damages doen to the victim by the offender’s criminal act

Answer 19

restitution

Question 20

the amount of restituition is sometimes determined through ______-________ ___________, a process that involves a face-to-face meeting between the two parties of the crime?

Answer 20

victim-offender mediation

Question 21

what is victim-offender mediation?

Answer 21

a process that involves a face-to-face meeting between the two parties of the crime

Question 22

The sating “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” reflects the concept of _________ as a justification for punishment.

Answer 22

retribution

Question 23

The goal of __________ is to prevent furture crimes by “setting an example,” while ________ purports to prevent crime by keeping offenders behind bars.

Answer 23

deterrence

incapacitation

Question 24

Models of _________ suggest that criminals can be “treated” and possibly even “cured”.

Answer 24

rehabilitation