Subjective Perception of Deterrence (Continued)

Abstract

High school students were questioned about their perceptions of the certainty and severity of punishment for marijuana use and shoplifting. It was found that those respondents who perceived a higher certainty of punishment engage in less marijuana use and shoplifting. Those respondents who perceive a higher severity of punishment do not engage in less marijuana use and shoplifting. Those respondents who perceive marijuana use or shoplifting to be offenses mala in se engage in fewer offenses, but also, in the case of shoplifting, are less deterred by threat of punishment than are respondents who define that shoplifting as mala prohibita. This difference is not true for marijuana use.