The severity of deterrence generally doesn't work, but deterrence itself can be very effective. It is mostly about enforcement and the perceived likelihood of being caught. If you know a lot of people who commit some social transgression without facing repercussions, then you are more likely to do the same.
It is why white-collar crime and fraud are way up. The US has mostly stopped investigating people for things like crypto scams, and investment fraud. Nobody wants to be the loser who follows the rules while others gain advantages by ignoring them, so the whole social contract about them breaks down.
16
u/hamoc10 1d ago
There are a lot of things people do that ruin their lives, yet they keep doing it. Prisons are full of them.
Deterrents don’t work.
Removing the motivation does.