People who believe that they will be caught if they commit crime are the ones most likely to be deterred from committing criminal acts. What element of deterrence does this reflect?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This reflects the element of certainty of punishment, which means that individuals are more deterred by the likelihood of getting caught and punished than the severity or speed of punishment. The belief that they will be caught if they commit a crime increases the perception of the certainty of being punished, which is a major factor in deterrence.

People Who Believe That They Will Be Caught If They