360degrees

Your answers indicate that you believe people are primarily rational and consciously choose to act criminally. This is referred to as free will. This theoretical model dominated criminological thought during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It has made a forceful comeback recently as "neoclassical" theory.

The "Trapeze," a method of hanging by the thumbs.
Prison Life in America, 1872

If people weigh the costs and the benefits of an action and then make decisions accordingly, the way to prevent crime must be to make the costs outweigh the benefits (make punishment harsher, for example). This is known as deterrence. It works a couple of ways. "Specific deterrence" relies on the idea that people who've experienced the punishment will want to avoid having to go through it again so they will not repeat any criminal behavior. And "general deterrence" assumes that the examples the punishments set will scare off — deter — people before they ever commit a criminal act.

Most rational choice theorists would say that if punishments are severe enough, people won't choose to commit crimes.

There are many other theories that have evolved over time. Would you like to see a few more?

Sociological Determinism
Biological Determinism
Conflict Theories