Why do we punish? And with punishment, What is it we seek to achieve?

Question

reform? rehabilitation?

Answer 1

Fear of being caught, not reform or rehabilitation.
Myself, I don't believe punishment is a good idea, it's an artifact left over from a much more barbaric time.
A good idea for a system of rules that doesn't require punishment will be a step in the right direction, until that happens we're free to show no mercy to those who break our all-important rules.
"Justice" being a system of venegence, spite and hatred is not a good idea.

Answer 2

I was just thinking that punishment doesn't seem to do much good. However, rehabilitation can work wonders. Instead of prison per se, I would set up rehab facilities, and teach these people a responsible, well-paying trade, and get them whatever mental health care they need.

Answer 3

Ignoring the personal, as a society we punish for three reasons:
1. Revenge - our desire for justice makes us feel that evildoers should pay a price. If you harm those dear to me you should suffer. Note that this reason is personal: I feel the pain my loved ones suffer much more so than the pain of strangers. Not the best motivation, but realistically this is an important reason why we punish people.
2. Deterrence - perhaps criminals, as rational individuals, will decide not to commit some crimes to avoid punishment. If punishing criminals for their crimes diminishes crime in the future, that's a price most of us are willing to have prisoners and criminals pay.
3. Protection - many criminals will repeat their crimes if given the opportunity. In order to avoid this we need to incarcerate some criminals and not allow them the opportunity to commit more crimes.

Answer 4

i do no longer understand if what we do with criminals ought to be considered punishment, Leanne. think of approximately it; what are we doing? particularly, we are putting a criminal in a locked room and telling him he has to stay there for here couple of months or years. And, together as he's there, we can furnish him clothing, bedding, nutrients, cable television, a library, academic possibilities, leisure and exercising centers, unfastened scientific care, and, on occasion, conjugal visits together with his spouse or female buddy. Punishment used to point something actual and painful. together with being whipped, stoned, pilloried, tortured in some way, or dragged off to a guillotine. seems to me that the criminal has it greater desirable than a number of our greater impoverished, yet trouble-free, electorate.

Answer 5

The strong punish the weak to make them follow their beliefs.
A mum punishes her child when she thinks it behaves incorrectly. In many gospels or equivalent, god will punish you if you fall off thepath , or something of that sort.

Answer 6

Lets not forget the deterrent factor of punishment.

Answer 7

I think it's the way we see the world. Most of us believe that there is some form of cosmic justice (Karma, God's Law, etc.) that we are holding to--the bad guy always gets it in the end.

Answer 8

punishment is a strong form of communication

Answer 9

To stay limited to shame, blame and guilt.

If we stay lost in fear, we don't have to show up and truly love.

Most would rather stay asleep to all that is. Then to awake, be aware and live responsibly.

The time is now, awake and stand as one.

Bright blessings.

Answer 10

in my opinion...we punish because we believe that doing so we can change somethig or someone..