Does the severity of punishment affect crime rates? One common argument for increasing the length of prison sentences for serious crimes is that harsher penalties will deter people from committing them. By that logic, the most severe punishment—death—should be the most effective deterrent. However, research does not support this conclusion. Chesa Boudin, former District Attorney of San Francisco, visited the Institute to speak about crime and punishment. He discussed what prison does to individuals, and how fewer people in prison can coincide with lower crime rates—as was the case in San Francisco during his tenure as the city’s highest elected public safety official. His talk, as well as a panel discussion, is available on IFFS Play. Direct link_ https://youtu.be/V5T8dlRIhzU?si=j8zm82AJtCj5UxR1 #criminology #crime #research #stanfordprisonexperiment
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Published on Jun 22, 2025
