Should we bring back severe punishments for crime in this country? Not death but real hard labour?

Question

Let people know that crime is in fact a punishment. Make them sweat and toil out in the elements and feel really exhausted at the end of the day. No tv or snooker or games. Actual punishment for crime. Would this have any effect?

Answer 1

yes, it is a sad fact that it cost around £110 per prisoner a day whilst in custody. So why don't they earn there keep. This money could be put to better use, like care homes for those in need of nursing attention.

Why is it that murderer's are let out? surly they should remain looked up, that way the victims family and the public can be reassured.

I am sick of hearing a criminal was given a 20 year sentence, which was reduced to 12 for 'good behaviour', are justice system is a joke.

Answer 2

Where a person has broken the law and the punishment is the deprivation of liberty then that is what the sentence should be. We should not impose further vindictive punishments on first time lawbreakers - and we should seek to rehabilitate. Imagine if it were your son/daughter, or brother/sister who had simply got in with the wrong crowd or who was just not thinking of the consequences. We all make mistakes - don't think that just because you are within the law now that there may not come a time when you find yourself on the wrong side of it. Life is full of irony.
With 2nd and 3rd time offenders (who are obviously not suffering from diagnosed mental disorders or disabilities) then I feel that more is required than a mere loss of liberty. The cost to society and to the victims of the crime must be re-cooped in some way. Some form of labour would be appropriate.

For murder where the case is proved without doubt, then I would suggest the following: the perpetrator should be taken to the Arctic Circle and left there - without food, water or shelter. This would be cheaper than life imprisonment and avoid the spectacle and circus of execution.

Answer 3

hi helen

Here's the thing... I'd be all for harder punishments if I ever saw some evidence that they actually reduce the crime rate, but no such evidence exists as far as I know.

There's a lot of talk these days about what would solve the crime problem, and most of it is from people who know very little about crime, criminology or law. This is why all you hear is "make sentences tougher, that'll bring the crime rate down!" Well, across the western world, punishments HAVE been getting steadily tougher, more people go to jail for less serious offences, and they go for longer. Prison populations are higher than they've ever been, and crime rates have stayed pretty much the same. There is no link between imprisonment and crime rates.

Most people who go to prison are minorities, poor or on drugs. In other words, if you want to reduce the crime rate, you have to solve the problems of poverty, racial injustice and drug use. Prisons have been around in their current form for about 130 years. They have never reduced crime rates, whether they forced hard labour or not.

And prisoners are bored. I think a lot of them WANT to work. So yeah, lets make them work hard. But if you want to make sure they dont reoffend when they get out, give them work in prison which will give them real skills. Remember that our aim should be to punish people, but also stop them committing crimes in future. When people get out of prison and cant get a job, that's when they commit more crime.

BobC: Capital punishment doesnt deter much either. The USA executes more prisoners than almost any country on earth and still has one of the highest violent crime rates anywhere.

Answer 4

Well it has been said " A society is judged by how it treats its worst citizens" However violent crimes should be punished with hard work not cable televison and free college degrees at the taxpayers expense. How about the lunatic judge in Vermont a few years ago that gave some scumbag 60 days for raping a little girl over a period of 4 or 5 years who is now forever mentally damaged from it. The judge said he needed therapy over prison. I have a idea if you are convicted of pre-meditated murder, rape, or anything against children you have to fight other convicts in a Gladiator type match in Las Vegas in front of Ceasars Palace,and we put it on TV and charge 49.99 for pay per view and give all the money to the victims families.

Answer 5

I would like to see the soft punishment changed so that they have to work or learn a trade leisure should just be keep fit exercises not gyms and reading no tv snooker or games. We are to easy on crime in this country (UK)

Answer 6

I definitely agree with the majority of people- crime in this country (UK) is spiralling out of control and the perpetrators have more rights and luxuries than the victims.
Paedophiles, rapists and murderers should serve life sentences that actually mean life-ie. until the day they die.
As for feeding them, give them basic daily rations-if it's good enough for our armed forces then it really should suffice for criminals.
And entertainment? they should be too tired from all the hard labour they've done to earn their upkeep to be thinking about entertaining themselves. If many honest people need to work 60 hour weeks to survive, then why should they have the luxury of free time?
It wouldn't be like the Nazis, particularly since we wouldn't be doing it out of unfounded racial hatred, but as a just punishment for those who have chosen to disrespect themselves and their society.

Answer 7

Having spent a year in a country where capital punishment still exists I was impressed by the lack of serious crime. I am not in favour of capital punishment but I am in favour of more severe punishment for serious offences and repeat offenders. I am also in favour of less paperwork for our police and have more bobby's on the beat, the bobby on the beat knows his beat, knows the potential criminals and can nip their possible career of crime in the bud. I blame most crime on drugs and poor parental control, a lot of parents have lost all discipline of their children, also we have to get more discipline in our schools, having teachers running scared of pupils in case they are reported for using discipline is just not acceptable. We as a nation are run by the human rights and the P.C. brigade, let the nation as a whole decide what is acceptable and not be dictated to by the few who shout the loudest.

Answer 8

No, there should be a stricter punishment but what many people have to remember is that if we only feed them on bread and water, make them do hard labour and sleep in poor conditions we will be now better then the Nazi's.

Answer 9

Spare the rod and spoil the criminal! Give em the good old Singapore Caning routine as an option for time off of a jail sentence. Trade a day off for each swing of the cane they willingly accepted. Then you would see who the real hard ***'s were. At least you would give them something to think about.

Answer 10

long detention center sentences do because of the fact the criminal is at the back of bars. however the death penalty is thoroughly inadequate as a deterrent to crime. maximum murders are crimes of hobby - a guy kills his spouse in a state of rage, and intensely frequently kills himself afterwards from guilt. a minimum of a million/2 of all crimes are committed whilst the criminal is drunk or extreme, and that incorporates homicide. those people are not deterred by ability of the death penalty - they don't have the impulse administration to provide up and think of approximately such issues. Serial murderers locate the cat and mouse recreation of escaping the regulation to be somewhat addicting.