2006-11-03 02:32:16 · 4 answers · asked by Jedi Gangster 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
There are five recognized purposes:
(1) "Retribution" (society's punishment for anti-societal acts)
(2) "Specific Deterrence" (To discourage that criminal from committing again)
(3) "General Deterrence" (To discourage other members of society from committing that same act, i.e. I know I'll get life for rape, and I saw Mr. X receive life, so maybe I won't rape)
(4) "Incapicitation" (i.e. to keep criminals out of society for a period; to keep very dangerous criminals out of society forever)
and
(5) "Rehabilitation" -- this has gotten bad wrap lately, as previously "rehabilitation" meant using forced mechanisms to ensure there was no reoffending (like forced lobotomies, medication, etc.) Often, this term is used to talk about education, drug treatment, religious instruction, job training and other skills that are offered in prison systems. The new buzz word is "restorative justice" -- to talk about counseling, drug courts, shame punishments, and other forms of "alternative sentencing" that involves less or little incarceration.
2006-11-03 03:44:36 · answer #1 · answered by Perdendosi 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
1
2016-06-10 12:36:31 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To punish a person for the crime they were convicted of committing. To remove their freedom to move about in society for some specified period of time.
150 years ago, there was a theory that criminals could be reformed in prison and returned to society as changed persons who would not voluntarily break the laws again. Most U.S. prisons required inmates to work to pay their keep. One prison warden in the East (an ordained minister), required all new inmates to spend time in solitary confinement when they arrived to reflect on the actions that got them there in the first place. They were not allowed to join the general prison population or engage in work until they understood what they had done wrong. The return rate for these prisoners was under 10%. This all ended with the rise of organized labor, who successfully stopped prison industries from unfairly competing with the free labor market in many areas of the country.
2006-11-03 02:50:29 · answer #3 · answered by Andreas 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
To punish the criminal for their crime?
2006-11-03 02:40:14 · answer #4 · answered by doggenfreek 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋