Do you think that laws serve a higher purpose than just deterrence and punishment of crime?

Question

In other words, what else do our laws say about our society?

Answer 1

We are a nation of laws. Laws define the ethics and mores of a society.

Answer 2

"any society is defined by its criminals" - wish i could remember where i heard that quote.

If the laws were made only to punish and deter, then after serving time criminals would be treated as everyday citizens... THIS is definately not the case. Try to get a job as a convicted felon... NO one wants to hire you, even if you were the most qualified. So you did your time, have been rehabilated and ready to fit back into society, but society isn't ready for you.

so if you can't get a job, what other choice do you have... its back to crime. THAT IS THE OPPOSITE OF DETTERENCE.

Our society and laws give little alternitives to those who have made mistakes. And criminal records are public records, so not only did you make a mistake, but anyone can check on it, even 10 years later.

in summary, our society says: "if you do the crime, you do the time, then you will still never escape from your past mistakes and they will be used against you when you try to make a living, we are going to give you no chance of making yourself better because we would rather throw you back in jail..."

Sorry for the rant.. hopefully, somewhere in there something makes sense.

Answer 3

With the exception of what we think of as "street" crime, murder, rape, robbery, burglary, etc., the most of our laws are about how a business behaves.

We have learned over the years, that a businessman will always do the wrong thing, unless coerced.

That says everything you need to know about our society.

Answer 4

laws are the structure on which all societies are built

they serve the society (by sustaining it), nothing more