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Authorities finally arrested Debra after falling into a trap that involved the 14-year-old
student. She faced charges of lewd and luscious battery a felony with a maximum sentence of 15
years in prison. Her situation got worse when authorities in Ocala where the boys cousin lived
decided to file another set of charges for sex crimes that took place in that locality. During her
charges in Tampa, her lawyer made a deal with the authorities to plead guilty in favor of a house
arrest. Ocala charges were dropped after the boys family decided to drop the charges to protect
their boy from public scrutiny. She was put under house arrest or a period of three years and
another seven years intensive probation where she would wear an electronic ankle bracelet.
Explanation of criminal behavior
The classical school of thought better captures the criminal behavior of Debra Lafave.
There are five tenets of this school of thought, namely rationalism, hedonism, punishment,
individual rights, and due process (Einstadter and Henry 48). Rationalism involves free will to
choose to commit the crime. Hedonism entails cost-benefit analysis where an individual weighs
the benefit to be accrued against the cost of getting caught. Punishment acts as a deterrent, by
raising the cost of committing the crime. Every person enjoys inalienable rights that do not end
for having committed a crime. The offender is entitled to due process in free and fair judicial
process.
According to the classical school of thought, people act rationally, choosing to maximize
positive outcomes while minimizing negative outcomes. Individuals commit crime because of
the perception that the benefits of their actions are greater than the costs associated with the
punishment (Vito and Maahs 14). Therefore, cost-benefit analysis influences an individuals
criminality where cost between pleasure and pain determines an individuals offending behavior.
The concept advises then that to prevent or reduce crime, there should be deliberate efforts to
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increase the cost of committing the crime by coming up with punishments. Penalties will deter
such criminal behavior in the future.
Two classical scholars have been associated with the classical school of thought, namely
Cesare Beccaria and Jeremy Bentham. Cesare was critical of the then-existing criminal and
judicial procedures that were inhumane and brutal to offenders. He proposed reforms through his
1764 essay titled On Crimes and Punishments." In the piece, he argued that punishment should
be used for deterrence purposes, rather than an end. The criminal should be accorded all human
rights applicable, including due process (Vito and Maahs 14). On the other hand, Bentham
introduced the principle of hedonistic calculus. He explained that it was human nature for
individuals to seek pleasure and avoid pain.
This theory provides a vivid explanation of the criminal behavior of Debra Lefave, who
was in her right mind and applied her free will to commit her crimes. The boy has claimed that
Debra on several occasions told him that she got turned on by the fact that she knew what she
was doing was wrong. This is a clear testament that she was not coerced to engage in the act
despite her bipolar disorder or claim that the boy was flirtatious. In terms of hedonistic calculus,
Debra weighed her pleasure against the cost of being caught and decided that the pleasure of
having an affair with a 14-year-old far outweighed the cost. This is confirmed when she is asked
whether she knew the consequences of her actions and answers that she cared less at the time.
When she is asked about whether she was aware of a previous case involving a teacher and
student, she claims that she was young when that crime took place. This means she knew about it
and but still went ahead committing it. She has been accorded her rights throughout the whole
judicial process. After going through a due process, she has received punished for her crimes.
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However, critics will argue that her punishment does not increase the cost of her crimes; thus
lacking the deterrence effect either to her or other potential female sexual offenders.
Work Cited
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Einstadter, Werner J, and Stuart Henry. Criminological Theory: An Analysis of Its Underlying
Assumptions. Washington D.C.: Rowman & Littlefield, 2006. Print.
Lauer, Matt. Crossing the line. NBC News, September 13, 2006. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
<http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14499056/#.VgUFeWv_3IU>.
Vito, Gennaro F. and Jeffrey R. Maahs. Criminology: Theory, Research, and Policy. Burlington:
Jones & Bartlett Publishers, 2011. Print.