Reducing Crime & Anti-Social Behaviour: Effects of Punishment (OCR GCSE Psychology): Revision Note

Punishments & deterrents

• Psychologists study how punishment and deterrents can reduce criminal or anti-social behaviour by making people less likely to repeat or imitate such acts

• According to behaviourist principles, if behaviour is punished, it is less likely to occur again

• According to social learning theory, people learn from observing others – if they see others being punished, they are less likely to imitate that behaviour (vicarious reinforcement)

The role of punishment

• Punishment involves applying a negative consequence following an undesired behaviour (like crime) to reduce the likelihood of it happening again

• Punishments can be:

  • formal, e.g. prison, fines, community sentences

  • informal, e.g. social disapproval, guilt, or shame

• Punishment can also act as a deterrent — discouraging both the offender (individual deterrence) and others (general deterrence) from committing crimes

The use of prisons

• Prisons are one of the oldest and most widely used forms of punishment

• By removing an offender’s freedom, rights, and privileges, prisons aim to:

  • deter future offending

  • reform behaviour by encouraging reflection and rehabilitation

• Prison life itself can be punishing due to isolation, loss of autonomy, and poor living conditions

• However, effectiveness depends on the individual, as for some, prison may:

  • increase criminal behaviour through association with other offenders

  • lead to recidivism after release

The use of fines

• Fines are typically used for less serious offences such as:

  • traffic violations

  • minor property damage

  • failure to pay taxes or follow regulations

• They act as both punishment (financial loss) and deterrent, discouraging reoffending by making crime costly rather than rewarding

• However, fines are less effective for:

  • wealthy offenders, who may not find the penalty significant

  • low-income offenders, for whom fines may lead to hardship but not necessarily behaviour change

The use of community sentences

• Community sentences require offenders to contribute unpaid work or services to society instead of going to prison

• Examples include:

  • cleaning public spaces

  • helping in charity shops

  • supporting local community projects

• They combine punishment and rehabilitation by allowing offenders to 'repay' society

• Offenders may also experience psychological punishments, such as shame or guilt, when their community work is visible to others

• Community service can therefore:

  • rehabilitate through positive contribution and learning responsibility

  • deter by creating social embarrassment or accountability

Deterrents and SLT

• People may avoid crime not only because of direct punishment but also by observing others being punished

• This is explained through vicarious reinforcement — if individuals observe negative consequences for others, they are less likely to imitate that behaviour

• For deterrents to work effectively:

  • punishment must be consistent, certain, and timely

  • the link between the behaviour and consequence must be clear and immediate