Learning theory approach to the deterrence of criminal recidivism.
Data on punishment and criminal arrests in a total birth cohort of men in Denmark (N = 28,879) was used to test the following hypotheses derived from learning theory: (a) the imposition of sanctions reduces rates of subsequent criminal arrest; (b) the more severe the sanction received for an arrest, the lower the rate of recidivism; (c) different types of sanctions have similar effects on recidivism; (d) the higher the proportion of sanctions received for past arrests, the lower the rates of future arrest; (e) continuous sanctions reduce arrest rates more than intermittent sanctions; and (f) discontinuation of punishment results in recovery of criminal arrests. Results support the above hypotheses, except Hypothesis b; our results suggest that sanctions have similar effects on recidivism regardless of their severity.
Brennan
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PA
Social Science Research Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-1061.
Mednick
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SA
D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003416:Criminal Law; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D011678:Punishment; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control