This week, we’re going to review how (or if) “strict punishment” deters crime. This continues our sort of blend of classes you may have had in the Criminal Justice program, with this section focusing on Criminology and Crime Prevention.  
We’re going to take a break from research papers this week and instead focus on the Discussions. For your assignment, please author a detailed post regarding this topic. For some guidance, here are some questions you may want to address:  
• In a macro view, do harsher penalties deter criminal acts?
• Have the states that implemented some sort of three-strikes law seen a reduction in crime? If so, can the decline clearly be attributed to the three-strike laws?
• Does capital punishment deter violent crimes?
• Should we have mandatory sentences to “draw a line” for when offenders should receive strict sentences?
Along with some analysis of this topic, please also give your opinion as well.
Should we have mandatory sentences?
Should we ban capital punishment?