LS222 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Cesare Beccaria, Deterrence Theory, White-Collar Crime

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Legal Studies
• Course: LS222
• Professor: Juvenile Delinquency

Document Summary

The classical school - refers to origins of criminological thought. Basis: people have free will - the ability to choose their own actions. Actions aren"t necessarily pre-determined by some higher power, people have the capaci choose how they will behave. Free will implies that they have a choice. In this context a choice to act in offending behaviour, and if they commit offences should be held responsible for their actions as they made that decision. People have rationality (rationality definition: to be able to think reasonably or logically) People weigh the cost and the benefits of their actions when deciding on a course of acti. Hedonistic calculus - an internal calculation is made to determine what will bring the most ple. Criminal behaviour is the product of a rational thought process where people weigh the costs a benefits and decide wheather they want to commit a crime because it brings them more pleas the cost would bring pain.