Criminal Punishment? Oh you mean Criminal Rehabilitation.

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"The modern penitentiary was conceived as a humane instrument of rehabilitation, not just punishment: The idea was that sitting alone on a cell contemplating one's transgressions... would lead to self-improvement"
-Eric Schnurer (The Atlantic)


Punishment has been in existence since the early colonial period and has continued throughout history as a method used to deter criminals from committing criminal acts. Philosophers believe that punishment is a necessity in today’s modern society as it is a worldwide response to crime and violence. The criminal punishment system in the United States is far from where it should be, without a doubt. The main goal of punishment, namely incarceration, should be to rehabilitate the offender effectively and securely so that they recognize the unlawful behavior, and have time to think about their actions. 

When it comes to distinguishing, the intensity of the punishment should fit the seriousness of the crime.  For example, if an individual is caught stealing a bar of candy from the supermarket, giving a life sentence in prison should not be feasible. On a more serious note, a non-violent drug offender shouldn't get the same punishment (notice I didn't say sentence) as the other working in the business above him. Punishments should be suited for the crime, and not all should rely on incarceration. The key to effective punishment, as sought after in the modern day lawmakers, it that punishment should not always revert first to incarceration; nor should it be undeserving given the intensity of the crime itself. 


Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 2, 2017 at 8:42 PM

    Aye Myat Mon
    I completely agree with you that incarceration should not be the first choice in punishment for so many crimes. I urge you to think about what other methods and alternatives to imprisonment would be suitable for different crimes. What do you think are some fair methods with the value of rehabilitation?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nick MOctober 15, 2017 at 1:17 PM

    I also agree with your point about incarceration. Do you think it is possible to rehabilitate criminals WITHOUT 'punishing' them? Do we inherently need to have consequences for every infraction? After all, if the ultimate goal of punishment is rehabilitation, it seems that rehabilitation alone should be sufficient.

    ReplyDelete

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