Why do we punish criminals? - Page 2

rgcraig · #11 07-02-2008, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RevDWW

Having been in prison ministry for years, I have seen that inmates by and large are not really punished or rehabilitated. Hard labor would be a good form of punishment without giving them access to cable, weight rooms, etc. etc. etc. Many men come to prison and there buddies are there and they get to hang out, play cards, get three square meals a day and there is not much incentive not to return.

Very true - - some will actually do a crime to GET BACK in so they can live better than when they are out on the streets. Now that is sad.

AmericanAngel · #12 07-02-2008, 09:13 AM

Ya mean, cause they are temperalily off the streets?
If you are innocent and taken to jail, that's a crime. If you are a criminal and taken to jail, that's a luxury.

ok...do we punish criminals? *sigh* No. Because if we did, no one would want to go to jail. Very few are changed, probably by a visiting church outreach program.

We have a bigger problem....God is last on our list in the system. Where they allow it and welcome it, it's working.

I'm not sure I like my answer, but it's the only one I got right now.

AmericanAngel · #13 07-02-2008, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RevDWW

Having been in prison ministry for years, I have seen that inmates by and large are not really punished or rehabilitated. Hard labor would be a good form of punishment without giving them access to cable, weight rooms, etc. etc. etc. Many men come to prison and there buddies are there and they get to hang out, play cards, get three square meals a day and there is not much incentive not to return.

Ditto

Baron1710 · #14 07-02-2008, 09:22 AM

It seems most of you are saying the punishment is not equal to the crime, which would seem to say that you all are more in favor of retributive justice. An Eye for an Eye is retributive justice. It says you can extract no more punishment than earned. You don't get to take two teeth for the loss of one. The idea behind an eye for an eye was equal punishment, or as C. S. Lewis says your just desert.

SOUNWORTHY · #15 07-02-2008, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RevDWW

Having been in prison ministry for years, I have seen that inmates by and large are not really punished or rehabilitated. Hard labor would be a good form of punishment without giving them access to cable, weight rooms, etc. etc. etc. Many men come to prison and there buddies are there and they get to hang out, play cards, get three square meals a day and there is not much incentive not to return.

Double DITTO
They don't have to worry about paying taxes, utility bills, nor where the next meal is coming from. We hard working slobs do all that for them!!

To answer your question, we supposedly punish them because it is a commandment of God. If we went back to the old testament and stoned the murderer immediately after he is found guilty there would be less murders. 2006 we had 17,034 murders in our country. Some of these was a repeat performance for some of these.

rgcraig · #16 07-02-2008, 09:28 AM

Baron,

I just believe prison is not making a difference in our society.

I read a story about the prisons in China and they are a 4 x 4 stall - - they sit crossed legged and get bread and water. They work hard labor instead of watching TV, playing baseball and working in the kitchen. When they get out they have NO DESIRE to return, so they ARE rehabilitated.

I'm not for cruelty, but I'm also not for robbery, murder, rape and whatever else they are in there for.

Baron1710 · #17 07-02-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SOUNWORTHY

Double DITTO
They don't have to worry about paying taxes, utility bills, nor where the next meal is coming from. We hard working slobs do all that for them!!

To answer your question, we supposedly punish them because it is a commandment of God. If we went back to the old testament and stoned the murderer immediately after he is found guilty there would be less murders. 2006 we had 17,034 murders in our country.

You seem to be saying deterrence. I know we all have ideas about how we ought to punish and we can do that but, lets first answer the question why so we can better understand how.

Cindy · #18 07-02-2008, 09:31 AM

We punish criminals because we fear whats inside them.

Baron1710 · #19 07-02-2008, 09:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cneasttx

We punish criminals because we fear whats inside them.

Care to elaborate on that?

Cindy · #20 07-02-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baron1710

Care to elaborate on that?

I will try Baron.

I think most of us when we are little have stolen candy or something that doesn't belong to us. If our parents find out we get punished. More than a slap on the hand, a lot of parents make you go and look the person in the eye and apologize for stealing from them. I preferred getting smacked which was quicker and didn't require personal accountability.

As we become adults I think we try to punish criminals the quickest way, therefor most never have to take personal accountability.