Is revenge on criminals good for society?

Question

Elliot wrote "I forget whose theory it is, but someone suggested that revenge is necessary because by demonstrating their mutual condemnation of a criminal, a society is brought closer together. There's probably something to that."

I understand that point of view. It is completely VOGUE to hate sex offenders right now. I hear people all the time "relating" to eachother how much they hate sex offenders. It was Communists, not too long ago. Thoughts?

Answer 1

"The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy...Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Answer 2

Revenge is probably not the proper word for making even with criminals. Justice must be used.. As eye for an eye do not really mean revenge, an appropriate look into the crime must be seen on the way it was committed to warrant the kind of punishment against the criminal. Those who committed crime must be punished justifiably which is both acceptable to the aggrieved and the the law of the society.
Forgiveness in the Christian context must not be made applicable to the society's law as it normally condone most criminal activities to be forgiven.
Sex offenses is a crime against the society's safety because the criminal do it randomly to anyone of his choice and not neccessarily to a particular individual only.

Answer 3

To protect society from criminals is the reason "law" exists.., or one reason. It is one of the 'rights' of tax paying, law abiding families that make up or communities.
Society doesn't take revenge on criminals.., it is a part of the reaping the consequences of their lawless behaviors. There are laws to abide by and if you break them, you are choosing to suffer the consequences. How many criminals do you see breaking the law and then going to the authorities and saying, "I've been bad so I need to be punished."? NO, they know they are being lawless, but they sneak and hide and lie and the try and get out of the consequences..., proof that you can't trust these people. They MUST be punished and held away from general society. Revenge has nothing to do with it.
Even if they know the consequences, they don't care about you or others and are UNSAFE for the rest of us.

Answer 4

Revenge is not the purpose of punishment. Punishment for crimes is good for society because it brings order to the society. If they know for a certainty that when I do a certain crime that there is a set punishment then it enforces the idea that committing the crime might not be such a good idea.

The reason why its not working now is because punishment for crimes has become a joke. In fact getting convicted for a crime has become a joke. It seems to reasonable people that if a police officer has a cold at the time of arrest that any evidence or confession that comes about as a result is no legitimate because he was using biological warfare as a means of torture to elicit a confession out of the criminal.

Now I know that the above in hyperbole but its not far off and you all know it. Whats more important people who would commit crimes know it so there is no fear of receiving punishment for their crime. All you need is a slick lawyer that isn't running for office to get you off.

Answer 5

Society is an incredibly complex term when you really think about it. So many different views, communities and problems all meshed together and pushing on one changes something on the other side.

I don't think 'revenge' is good. This leads to vigilantism which is the worst form of justice in society. Vigilantes are not concerned with the process of law and confirmation that they are enforcing a proper punishment, or even that they are enforcing the punishment on the correct person.

Answer 6

I think we can punish someone for a crime without hateing them.

Thats how I feel, the need for vengence just isn't in me.

I feel punish someone and while on the inside teach them a trade and some skills,

we need to address what causes crime in the first place and eliminate the causes.

As for the sex offenders, I'm not sure theres an easy cure and I as a parent always keep an eye on my son when I'm with him,
he's either with parent, grandparent, or day care. We have to put our trust in the day care's ability to do background checks on the day care personnel and based on reputation we selected one.

Its scarey. But if something happened to my child I'm sure I'd feel all anger and want vengence, I hope I wouldn't but its only natural I think in those casese to want to hurt someone who hurt us.

But society sets up this system where parents don't take the law into their own hands.

Answer 7

I don't think it is "Vogue" or "Politically Correct" to hate them. I don't think a common hate actually "brings together" anyone. It is just a common ground for occasional discussions. I don't think there is much that can bring today's society together (9/11 did for about 48 hours), although it is now in vogue or politically correct to be pro illegal immigration.

As far as sex offenders it has been shown that they are rarely if ever, rehabilitated. They are a threat to society as long as they live. A good reason for hate/fear.

Answer 8

I believe it is important to punish people who don't understand the need to let others live in freedom. When someone decides to commit murder or molestation, they are actively taking away another's right to live.

If we as a society do not make the result of these actions unbearable for people, then the actions will always become more prevalent. I don't see it as revenge, more as society determining that individual freedom is important, and that taking it away from another must have consequences.

If not, then those bent on destruction would rule the earth, your country, your neighborhood, your home and your family.

Taking away the freedom of people who are convinced that yours doesn't matter, enables you to live a free, productive life, it is not revenge. That is silly.

Answer 9

What people don't realize is that in the nature and nurture equation of most criminals, the nurture part was incredibly screwed up. Abuse, sexual abuse, many criminals grew up in conditions that most people could never imagine. If they grew up in the same environment they would be doing the same thing.

Not to say that I'm not against punishment, structured taking away of total freedom is punishment. Our current prison system is a total failure though. Inmates currently have almost a 30% chance of getting raped in prison. This is quite sickening. Even if the government didn't care about these individuals, you'd think they would at least realize that this is greatly increasing the spread of aids, as many inmates contract HIV in prison and then go out and spread it to the general public.

When inmates are in threat of getting beat or raped, even murdered, everyday, they are not going to learn any lessons. They are going to get more angry at society, and will most likely commit worse crimes when they get out..

We need to get control of our prisons if we want to make any progress in crime.

Answer 10

We don't take revenge on most criminals we punish them through the court system and give them jail time away from the community they harmed. Communists were trying to take over the country (they are still around in China and Cuba)so that was more a traitor/spy situation than revenge. Traitors/spies get shot.

Answer 11

What type of revenge are you speaking about? Them serving time in jail? If that's the case, then that is just cause and effect,them reaping what they sow. Saying you hate someone is not getting revenge on someone, it is simply stating your opinion or feeling. I don't use the word hate, but if I dislike something, like pedophiles, then yes, I will say they disgust me and I have no sympathy for them and hope they get maximum sentences in jail. I have no remorse for those that prey on the young and innocent.