Anxiety about consequences deterring criminal behavior is referred to as what?

• A. Public Protection
• B. Reparation
• C. Imprisonment
• D. Fear of Punishment

Answer: (D)

Deterrence theory explains why people might refrain from crime because they fear the consequences. An anxiety about consequences deterring criminal behavior is fear of punishment—a direct reflection of the deterrent effect that sanctions can have on potential offenders. Public protection is about keeping society safe and is a broader aim of the system, not the individual mental calculation driving decisions. Reparation focuses on compensating victims, not deterring future crimes. Imprisonment is a punishment method used, but it describes the sanction itself, not the fear that discourages someone from offending. So the term that matches the idea is fear of punishment, the deterrent effect.