The discouragement or prevention of crimes through the fear of punishment is called:

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Deterrence theory suggests that the threat of punishment can prevent individuals from committing crimes. It operates on the assumption that people are rational and will choose not to act if the potential costs outweigh the benefits. This can take the form of either specific deterrence (where individual offenders are deterred from committing crimes again) or general deterrence (where society as a whole is deterred from committing crimes due to the perceived threat of punishment).

The Discouragement or Prevention of Crimes Through the Fear of Punishment