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This thesis primary aim is to examine specific deterrence; the fear of punishment experienced by individuals who have committed crimes and subsequently received a punishment. Specific deterrence is assumed to deter criminals from reoffending. The secondary aim of this thesis is to examine the perceptions of increased punishments as a measure to prevent crime, as deterrence theory predicts that increased punishment correlates to decreased criminality. The Swedish government has continually proposed and implemented increased punishments. As such, the validity of specific deterrence and the effectiveness of increased punishments requires examination in a Swedish context. Perceptions and experiences of specific deterrence, and perceptions of the deterring effect of increased punishments, was examined in 12 semi-structured interviews with people who have committed a crime and received subsequent punishment. The material was analysed using thematic analysis, and the results found that the participants did not experience deterrence, as drug addiction, fear of consequences from other criminals, and perceptions of apprehension and severity of punishment inhibited, or eliminated, specific deterrence. Increased punishments were not thought to have affected past criminal actions, but opinions on increased punishments to combat current criminality were both positive and negative. By applying General Strain theory, the study found that the presence of a stronger experience of strain eliminated or diminished specific deterrence.

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur incels talar om våld, vilken betydelse våld har för incel-kulturen och incels identitetsskapande. Incels är ett relativt nytt fenomen, som ägnats mer uppmärksamhet i samband med ett antal våldsamma incel-attacker under 2010-talet. Attackerna har riktat sig mot civilsamhället, och har enligt Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut (FOI) ofta föregåtts av att gärningsmannen spenderat tid på incel-forum (2020, s. 1). Denna iakttagelse om korrelationen mellan incelforum och incel-attacker föranledde utförandet av den här studien. Studiens material utgörs av 511 inlägg från våldsrelaterade diskussionstrådar på hemsidorna incels.net och incels.is, vilka undersöktes med en kvalitativ analys av meningsinnehåll. Resultatet visade att inlägg av våldsbejakande karaktär var mycket vanligt förekommande. Resultatet visade även att teman som kvinnohat, offerskap och icke-våldsbejakande ofta återkom. Det teoretiska ramverket för studien har varit en triangulering av Agnews teori om General strain, Connells maskulinitetsteori och Goffmans teori om stigma. Utifrån dessa teorier kan våldsbejakande diskurs förstås som en hantering av strain, ett iscensättande av maskulinitet och en reaktion på stigma. Resultatet i den här studien bekräftar till stor del tidigare forskning på incels, men det går att konstatera att ytterligare forskning krävs för att förstå varför incels är våldsbejakande, och vilken betydelse internetforum har för incel-kulturen och incel-attacker., The aim of this study was to examine in what way incels discuss violence, as well as how significant violence is for the incel-culture and their identity. Incels are a relatively new phenomenon, which has been more closely examined following recent attacks perpetrated by incels. The attacks have been aimed at civilians, and according to the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), these attacks have often been preceded by the perpetrator spending time on incel forums (2020). This observation regarding the correlation between incel forums and incel attacks inspired the approach of this study, which aims to shed light on how incels talk about violence, and what role violence plays within the online incel community. The empirical material for this study consisted of 511 posts made on violence related threads from the websites incels.net and incels.is. The study applied qualitative analysis of data to examine the research questions, and the result showed that pro-violence was a common theme within the material. The result also showed that misogyny, feelings of injustice and anti-violence were recurring themes. Agnew’s General strain theory, Connell’s theory of masculinity and Goffman’s theory of stigma was used as a theoretical framework to analyse the material. Using these theories, the study explains the identified themes as coping strategies for strain, attempted staging of masculinity and a reaction to stigma. The results in this study confirm previous research made on the subject, but more research is needed to fully understand the ways incels talk about violence and the significance of violence within the incel community.