______ deterrence refers to the preventive effect of the threat of punishment on the population; it is aimed at potential offenders.

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General deterrence aims to deter potential offenders from committing a crime by making the consequences of committing such crimes apparent. It aims to convince the general public that the punishment for committing a crime is substantial enough that it would be in their best interest to avoid committing that crime. This is contrasted with specific deterrence, which aims to deter an individual offender from recommitting the same crime after being punished for it. Primary and secondary deterrence are not commonly used terms in criminology.

______ Deterrence Refers to the Preventive Effect of the Threat