ABSTRACT
Any discussion of primary prevention would not be complete without a look at the deterrent effects of punishment. Recall that primary prevention attempts to eliminate or reduce the level of deviant behavior prior to its occurrence. The bulk of the discussion so far has focused on the crime prevention activities of the general public. Most people today believe that offi cial agencies of social control are, or should be, responsible for eliminating crime. Indeed, the actions of criminal justice agencies are aimed at the elimination of crime through deterrence.
