Section 2.5: Theories Of Punishment

Front 1

Celerity

Back 1

Swiftness of movement; As an element of rational choice theory, the term is used to indicate that punishment should administered swiftly to be effective.

Front 2

Certainty

Back 2

In rational choice theories, used to indicate that punishments are only effective if criminals are relatively sure they will be punished.

Front 3

Cesare Beccaria

Back 3

Eighteenth-century Italian philosopher that argued punishment should only be severe enough to offset the pleasure gained from committing the crime.

Front 4

Cost Benefit Analysis

Back 4

The systematic weighing positive consequences against negative consequences in decision making.

Front 5

Culpable Mental State

Back 5

A mental state sufficient for a person to be worthy of blame for a criminal act, such as acting intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or negligently.

Front 6

Deterrence

Back 6

The idea that criminal punishments will prevent future crimes because the offenders have learned from their punishments (specific deterrence), and society learns from the example of the punished (general deterrence).

Front 7

Disproportionate Minority Contact

Back 7

Refers to the disproportionate number of minority youth that come into contact with the juvenile justice system, as well as the disproportionate number of minorities that come into contact with police.

Front 8

Drug Court

Back 8

Specialized courts with jurisdiction over drug offenses and a focus on rehabilitation and treatment.

Front 9

Fair Sentencing Act of 2010

Back 9

A law that reduced the disparity between sentences for possession and distribution of crack cocaine and powdered cocaine; many critics considered the disparity as racist.

Front 10

General Deterrence

Back 10

A type of deterrence based on the premise that society in general will avoid crime because of the example of those that have been punished.

Front 11

Incapacitation

Back 11

The corrections goal of removing the ability of the offender to commit future crimes.

Front 12

Individual Racism

Back 12

Racism stemming from a person's attitudes and beliefs about other races.

Front 13

Institutional Racism

Back 13

Racial inequalities that result from institutional policies and procedures.

Front 14

Multiethnic

Back 14

Constituting multiple ethnic groups.

Front 15

Multiracial

Back 15

Constituting multiple racial groups.

Front 16

NAACP

Back 16

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is an African-American civil rights organization founded in 1909.

Front 17

Racial Discrimination

Back 17

A situation that occurs when one person is treated less favorably than another because of his or her race.

Front 18

Racism

Back 18

The belief that some races of people are better than other races.

Front 19

Rational Choice Theory

Back 19

The perspective that people choose a particular course of action when they percieve that the benefits of the action outweigh the costs.

Front 20

Recidivism

Back 20

A relapse into criminal behavior; an important measure of how good of a job probation, parole, and prison programs are doing at rehabilitating offenders.

Front 21

Rehabilitation

Back 21

The act or process of restoring something to its original state of being.

Front 22

Restitution

Back 22

Money paid to the victim of a crime as part of a criminal sanction.

Front 23

Severity

Back 23

The idea that the punishment for a crime should be just severe enough to offset the benefit of committing it.

Front 24

Specific Deterrence

Back 24

A type of deterrence based on the idea that the individual offender will be dissuaded from future criminality by experiencing punishment.