There is little evidence that increasing the severity of the sanction (in the form of sentence length) has any deterrent effect.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research has shown that increasing the severity of the punishment (in the form of sentence length) does not necessarily have a deterrent effect. Other factors such as the certainty and swiftness of punishment, as well as social norms and moral values, may play a larger role in deterrence.

There Is Little Evidence That Increasing the Severity of the Sanction