U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Testing Deterrence and Incapacitation as Crime Control Mechanisms: A Refinement of the Hypothesis
NCJ Number
              173774

Author(s)
          D E Olson
Date Published

1997
Length
              151 pages
Annotation
              Using aggregate official statistics from the 102 counties in Illinois, this study assessed the extent to which risk of apprehension and punishment deterred crime.
Abstract
              The study improved upon past assessments of the effect of deterrence on crime by using more comprehensive measures of the risk of subsequent processing steps across individual criminal justice system components, by including juvenile justice system activities and pooled cross-sectional and time series data. Combining data from the 102 counties over a 10-year period resulted in a large number of observations and allowed for a more comprehensive model and numerous control variables. The study hypothesized higher risk of arrest, conviction, and incarceration would result in lower crime rates. Findings showed risk of arrest appeared to have little effect on crime rates, whereas risk of incarceration relative to offenses did. When the risk of incarceration was measured with different variables, however, the deterrent effect diminished. Similarly, risk of conviction, found to be inversely related to crime in prior assessments, had little effect across Illinois counties. Implications of the study findings for crime control policies and future research are discussed. 114 references, 19 tables, and 15 figures
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        96-IJ-CX-0014


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 1997
    
          Downloads
        
                      *No download available*

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Arrest and apprehension
        Crime control policies
        Crime rate studies
        Criminal justice system effectiveness
        Criminology



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Discoveries From the Forensic Anthropology Data Base: Modern American Skeletal Change & the Case of Amelia Earhart
                  Simultaneous Imaging of Latent Fingermarks and Detection of Analytes of Forensic Relevance by Laser Ablation Direct Analysis in Real Time Imaging-Mass Spectrometry (LADI-MS)
                  Help-Seeking Among Victims of Elder Abuse: Findings From the National Elder Mistreatment Study
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov