Which criminology school posits that crime results from free will and rational choice, with punishment as a deterrent?

• A. Classical School of Criminology
• B. Positivist School
• C. Conflict Theory
• D. Labeling Theory

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is that crime happens when individuals exercise free will and weigh costs and benefits, so punishment serves as a deterrent. The Classical School of Criminology, associated with Beccaria and Bentham, argues that people act rationally and purposefully; if punishment is certain, swift, and proportionate, the chance of committing crime decreases because the perceived costs outweigh the benefits.

In contrast, the Positivist School focuses on internal and external factors—biological, psychological, and social—that predispose someone to crime rather than deliberate calculation. Conflict Theory emphasizes how law and crime reflect power struggles and social inequalities, not individual rational choice. Labeling Theory centers on how society’s reactions and labels can push someone further into deviance, rather than deterrence through punishment. So the described view aligns best with the Classical School.