Do people comply with the law because they fear getting caught?

Do people comply with the law because they fear the consequences? Guided by the theoretical framework of Situational Action Theory we argue that most people abide by the law not because they fear the consequences but because they do not perceive crime as an ‘action alternative’. We propose that the potential influence of threats of punishment on people’s law abidance is specific to those who regularly are motivated and consider committing acts of crime. Using data from the Peterborough Adolescent and Young Adult Development Study (PADS+) we empirically explore the relationships between crime propensity, deterrence perceptions and crime involvement for four specific types of crime: shoplifting, theft from cars, vandalism and assault. The findings support the notion that the influence of deterrence perceptions on an individual’s crime involvement is dependent on his or her crime propensity. Moreover, and crucially, results suggest that deterrence perceptions are largely irrelevant for those who lack a propensity to commit acts of crime (or specific acts of crime).