Overview
This is a sociology class on Crime and Society, specifically SOCI 2450A. you will need to answer the discussion post below. The discussion post should be 2 full paragraphs in length (3-5 sentences per paragraph), reflect an adequate understanding and engagement with the reading material, and be respectful in both tone and content. I have attached the reading and lecture in order to answer this discussion thoroughly
In the readings for Class #2, Mears and Cochran (2017) present research findings which suggest that “although tougher punishment, and increasingly tougher punishment among second-time offenders, may sometimes reduce recidivism, less severe punishment appears on average to be more effective” (p. 194). In a similar vein, Seabrook et al. (2023) reported in their study of police funding in Canada that “no consistent associations were found between police funding and crime rates across municipalities, and overall, net increases in spending per capita are not associated with greater net decreases in crime rates” (p. 384). Engaging these readings, do you think ‘tough on crime’ justice works or has a place in Canada’s criminal justice system? Why or why not?