The Contribution Made By Classicist Criminology - 2175 Words

Within this first assignment, the main aim is to evaluate the contribution made by classicist criminology to the provision of effective responses to criminal behaviour. Criminology has a modest definition that states the link between criminology and the study of crime, for example, why people commit actions and how society responds to this behaviour (P Joyce, 2009). When defining whether an act is criminal or not it is most likely to be viewed as an act of wrong doing by most members of society and is consequently punishable by law. Classicism was developed within the late eighteenth century Europe, and was a reaction to traditional views and practices regarding crime and punishment. There are key views that are linked with classicist†¦show more content†¦Deterrence had not worked effectively) then the punishment should effectively fit and reflect the seriousness of the crime that has been committed meaning that classist criminologists found it appropriate to make sure that cost to a perpetrator that committed a crime would outweigh any sort of benefit that may be gained from the act in question. This resulted in classicism being solely focused on the act committed opposed to the individual that carried out the crime. An additional argument was also made that whatever the punishment that the individual received was to be no more than absolutely necessary to neutralise whatever benefit the individual believed they could gain from carrying out the crime. They believed that the use of discretion was to be avoided as classicists argued that judges should not attempt to interpret the law because their role was only to apply it to the criminal. Finally, all cr ime should be responded to in a reliable way as classicists thought it was essential that any potential perpetrators would be fully aware of the impending consequences of their actions and they reasoned that the most appropriate way to relay this solution was to have a clear legal code and consistent criminal justice system in place that was both predictable and swift. (P Joyce, 2009) Classical thinking was further developed by British philosopher Jeremy Bentham. Some of the punishment associated with parts of the continental Europe of which are not linked Britain