Do longer prison sentences stop Crime at all?

[Kasz216]

largedarryl said:

Kasz216 said:

largedarryl said:
I'm of the belief that threat of punishment is not a legitimate measure to prevent crime from occurring.

Throughout history, this has always been the case, and nothing we are going to do now is going to change that. The things that seemingly prevent crime from happening is education and class standing. Desperate people will resort to any means to get what they need, and no amount of punishment threat will change that.

I'm not even sure it's class standing.

I mean the UK for example has a higher crime rate per capita vs the US despite the UK having a lower Gini Coefficent.

 

 

There is something else in there that also affects this, but I simply used class standing as a blanket statement.  It really needs to include things like context (different in every country), racial/religious minority, sex, etc.  I'm really focussing on things I would consider preventable crime, theft, drugs, vandalism, gang related violence, etc.

My main point will always remain the same though, as someone that is going to commit an illegal action is never going to consider the repercussions of there actions.

 

I agree... about 8 times out of 10 or so.

However if penalties didn't "fit" the crimes I think it would be different.

For example if the penalties were ludicriously low if caught.  Like if you embezzle and the penalty is... if your caught you spend 1 year in prison.  1 year vs a chance to have millions?   Or like a week etc.

Harsher penalties beyond what is enough of a deterent though.