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How does general deterrence differ from individual deterrence in criminal punishment?

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prison Mount Olive Correctional Complex, a maximum-security prison in Mount Olive, West Virginia.

In the context of penology, general and individual deterrence are distinct utilitarian theories of punishment that target different populations to prevent criminal behavior.12

General Deterrence

General deterrence aims to dissuade the broader public from committing crimes by using the punishment of an offender as an example. It operates on the assumption that individuals are rational actors who will calculate the risks of being caught and sentenced before deciding to break the law. This approach seeks to create a fear of consequences that discourages potential offenders from following an offender's path.1

Individual Deterrence

Individual deterrence is directed specifically at the person who has already committed a crime. Its primary objective is to teach that specific offender not to repeat their criminal behavior. While general deterrence focuses on the potential actions of the public, individual deterrence is concerned with the future conduct of the individual being punished.21

Both theories share the principle that punishments should be proportionate to the gravity of the offense to ensure that offenders have an incentive to avoid committing more serious crimes.2