Classical Criminology

A philosophy originally developed during the Enlightenment in the 18th century by Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. Due to inconsistencies and the arbitrariness of the judicial process, in addition to the widespread use of torture as a practice for punishment and the extraction of confessions, both philosophers called for the humane treatment of prisoners. They spoke against the use of corporal and barbaric punishments, which were inherently incongruous with the underlying principles of a civilized society. Certain principles characterize the classical-criminology perspective. For punishment to deter future crime, it should be certain (the offender's chance of being apprehended and prosecuted is highly probable), swift (the time between the act and the punishment should be as brief as possible), and severe. Punishments should be based on gradations of seriousness according to the nature of the crime; in sum, the punishment should fit the crime. Punishments that are too lenient will not deter future criminal behavior, and punishments that are too severe could beget more crime. Crime can be controlled through the threat of formal punishment, and punishment serves two vital deterrent purposes: specific deterrence sends a message to the individual offender, while general deterrence sends a message to society. Sanctions should encompass the principle of utilitarianism—that is, providing the greatest good for the greatest number. Beccaria and Bentham believed that crime was a rational choice on the part of the offender: All people were rational beings and made decisions based on the concept of free will; prior to the commission of an act, an offender weighs the costs and benefits of crime; if the benefits exceed the costs, crime would be the logical decision. Crime is often viewed as more attractive because it involves less work with a greater payoff, and offenders will typically choose acts that are pleasurable for them. The classical school has developed into rational choice theory.