To the extent criminal behavior is actually a result of spontaneous choice, it might be perfectly appropriate as a societal response to crime. On the other hand, to the extent criminal behavior is only partially attributable to spontaneous choice, the classical approach to crime control is inherently ineffective and unlikely to achieve the larger objective of reducing crime in society. Furthermore, the classical approach to crime control is unlikely to reduce the numbers of individuals who eventually engage in criminal behavior, since criminal behavior is relatively constant with respect to the number of individuals in society who become criminals. Because deterrence is only marginally effective (at best), reliance on the classical theory of crime virtually ensures that every criminal taken off the street is quickly replaced by another criminal beginning his or her career...

Whereas the more modern approach to crime control specifically addresses the social, environmental, and developmental factors thought to be responsible for criminal inclinations. Therefore, the ultimate implication of the classical theory of crime as the basis for crime control is that it virtually guarantees that the crime rate in society will remain constant over time rather than ever being substantially reduced through intervention efforts.