Chicago Police Department (CPD) Practice Exam 2025 - Free CPD Practice Questions and Study Guide

The recognition of general and specific deterrence in crime prevention is critical to understanding how law enforcement and justice systems aim to reduce crime. General deterrence refers to the idea of discouraging the public at large from committing crimes through the threat of punishment. This type of deterrence operates on the principle that individuals will refrain from criminal behavior if they believe the consequences of being caught and punished outweigh the potential benefits of committing the crime.

In contrast, specific deterrence focuses on preventing a particular individual from re-offending. When a person has already been apprehended and punished for a crime, the goal is to ensure that this punishment will serve as a lesson learned, leading to a change in behavior and discouraging them from committing further offenses in the future.

The combination of these two types of deterrence creates a broader strategy for crime prevention. General deterrence aims to influence societal behavior as a whole, while specific deterrence targets individual behavior, ensuring that past offenders consider the repercussions of their actions more seriously in the future. This dual approach enhances the effectiveness of crime prevention measures.