ipl-logo

Issues Surrounding Punishment

1961 Words8 Pages

Punishing individuals for wrongdoing is an ethical issue that is still current in modern day society. It can be argued that we need punishment for various different reasons. Without punishment, crimes would not be illegal and it would be hard to differ between what is right and what is morally wrong. Punishment highlights the need to focus on the consequences of our actions and show us what could happen if we go against the law. Punishment has the ability to make criminals better individuals through deterrence and rehabilitation. It also allows people to have better social cohesion and benefits society as a whole. Many philosophers, including Hobbes and Mill share these views. Within Leviathan, Hobbes defines punishment as An evil inflicted …show more content…

It does not seem fair to punish someone for something that was out of his or her control. If the suspect did not intend to commit the crime, they can be regarded as innocent. The suspect could have lived a perfectly good, moral life, where they attended church and regularly gave to charity, but one-day luck was not on their side. Life is unpredictable and we never know what is around the corner. In cases like this, it seems unnecessary to punish individuals for wrongdoing. Additionally, there are many ethical issues surrounding punishment. Various people may question whether it is morally correct for the government to use the law to inflict punishment on its citizens. This is the case for abolitionist theories, which believe we should aim to replace punishment with restorative justice rather than justify it or reform it. The majority of ethical issues surrounding punishment come from the use of the death penalty. Professor Roger Hood proposes four main objections to the use of capital punishment: (1) Capital punishment violates the fundamental right to life; (2) capital punishment is not a unique deterrent; (3) the administration of the death penalty, even in developed legal systems, is inherently and irredeemably flawed; and (4) its effect is counter-productive in that it gives out very confused moral messages. (Hodgkinson and Schabas, 2009,

Show More
Related

  • The Rescue Defence Of Capital Punishment By Steve Aspenson

    744 Words  | 3 Pages

    Murder constitutes harm and abuse of power. 3. Capital punishment is murder 4. Therefore, capital punishment is unethical as it violates the government’s basic duty to protect its people.

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty In Texas

    81 Words  | 1 Pages

    Some see the death penalty as the only means to extract justice for victims. Others see it as a morally reprehensible act where a second wrong is committed in order to make something right. With recent issues surrounding the death penalty in which execution hasn 't gone as planned sparking a nationwide debate, this is my outlook on why I 'm for the death penalty not only being abolished in the state of Texas but in addition to the entirety of the US..

    Read More

  • Effects Of Incarceration On Families

    520 Words  | 3 Pages

    A person should be punished appropriately for the crime they committed but the punishment should not include putting strain or forcing them to severe their relationships with their

    Read More

  • The Nazi Holocaust In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

    736 Words  | 3 Pages

    The 20th century was a time of both success and sadness, triumph and tragedy, however, no event in European history has been quite as disheartening as the Nazi Holocaust, the darkest hour in European History. In less than a decade, The Nazi Party murdered well over 6,000,000 Jews. 6,000,000 mothers, children, fathers, even babies. This tragedy was justified on the grounds that the people of the Jewish population were subhuman, a burden to the Nazi regime. Similar to the Jewish population of Europe, the people of Salem in The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, were unfairly sentenced to death without any justifiable reasoning, other than suspicion and hatred.

    Read More

  • Jeffrey Reiman's Arguments Against Capital Punishment

    1646 Words  | 7 Pages

    The topic of capital punishment presents a test of values. The arguments in support of and opposition to the death penalty are complex. In the end, this is a question of an individual’s values and morals. The topic requires careful thought to reach a reasoned position. Both sides of the argument are defensible.

    Read More

  • The Death Penalty In Stephen Nathanson's An Eye For An Eye?

    901 Words  | 4 Pages

    The first objection is that the death penalty does not "provide a measure of moral desert" (Nathanson). For the second, Nathanson states "it does not provide an adequate criterion for determining appropriate levels of punishment." The main objection is an "eye for an eye", or Lex talionis, and I believe it fails to support equality retributivism and creates punishments that are morally unacceptable. There is no way that

    Read More

  • Punishment In The Criminal Justice System

    747 Words  | 3 Pages

    Elliott (2011, p. 36) acknowledges that it does not look at the reason as to why the person committed the act. The goal for punishment in the justice system is to educate. Elliot (2011, p. 35) mentions that there is no concrete evidence that supports the theory of punishment deterring crime. Society feels as if it is right to punish wrongdoers, in turn they feel safe (Kateb, 2007, p. 270). James Gilligan (2000, p. 746) states that punishment is the most powerful stimulus of violence.

    Read More

  • Annotated Bibliography On Death Penalty

    1145 Words  | 5 Pages

    Annotated Bibliography Draft Student name : Haider Zafaryab Student number: 2360526 Thesis Statement : Capital Punishment is a very controversial topic around the globe. I believe that it does more harm than good and breeds violence in society. Source 1: Radelet, M. L., & Akers, R. L. (1996).

    Read More

  • General Deterrence

    155 Words  | 1 Pages

    The main purpose for our criminal justice system should be to stop future crime. General deterrence would be a good way to set an example to communities who disobey the law. Allowing bystanders to see the punishments of crime will instill fear into them, causing them not to repeat the crime they witness. Specific deterrence allows for criminals to still be in society, but every time they think about doing something illegal they will have a negative feeling. These method focusses on educative function allowing people to learn from their mistakes and preventing further complications.

    Read More

  • Jean Hampton's Moral Education Theory Of Punishment Analysis

    992 Words  | 4 Pages

    The attractiveness of this theory is primarily based on the ethical code that Hampton subscribes to, which is that pain-inflicted punishments should not be condoned when it comes to disciplining wrongdoers. Rather, constructive analysis done pertaining to why certain actions are morally wrong in society would be intellectually stimulating and productive for both the wrongdoers and the public, all while avoiding the infliction of physical pain. Compared to the retributivist argument, which circulates around the idea that the purpose of punishment is to make wrongdoers pay for their misdeeds, and that they should be treated the way that they have treated others, the MET is a more humane way to treat wrongdoers, and in the long run, would perhaps help them emerge from confinement as better citizens within society, rather than as potential repeat offenders. Therefore, the appeal of the MET stems from the positive implications of treating wrongdoers with respect and dignity, all while teaching them why their actions were wrong while simultaneously instilling positive and moral values in their psyche before allowing them to re-enter

    Read More

  • Compatibilism, Determinism, Questions And Answers

    1479 Words  | 6 Pages

    Punishment serves as a method to deter people from wrongdoings, and to let people know what actions are wrong. If there were no negative repercussions to wrongful acts, people would simply attribute their wrongdoings to determinism and claim they are not morally responsible for their actions, since their actions stem from prior causes that they have no control

    Read More

  • Welfarism Vs Punishment

    1394 Words  | 6 Pages

    Today, we punish criminals through means of either confinement (imprisonment), suspended sentences or a community order. However, in the middle ages, punishment was very different. They used to believe in retribution. This is the idea that punishments should make the criminal pay for what they have done wrong.

    Read More

  • Benefits Of Incarceration

    977 Words  | 4 Pages

    Incarceration also punishes offenders by depriving them of their liberty once the court of law has convicted. Moreover, incarceration deters criminals from committing further crimes

    Read More

  • Synthesis Essay On Capital Punishment

    1294 Words  | 6 Pages

    Many acknowledged the fact that capital punishment decreases the value of human life, which misrepresents the values of what the American government stands for. This argument not only defends the claim that the death penalty is unethical, but also introduces the idea that capital punishment remaining legal has a negative effect on a country's society as a whole because of the trivialization of human life. Many human rights activists and individuals interested in protecting the inalienable rights of American citizens also argue that the use of capital punishment violates a person’s inheritable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The legality of the death penalty can be seen as a violation to an individual's freedom and liberty, as it strips a person of their most basic right to life. Although there are still many that argue that lack of capital punishment for crimes such as murder takes value away from human life, this argument is fundamentally flawed

    Read More

  • Essay On Harsh Punishment

    1048 Words  | 5 Pages

    There is a worldwide trend in the use of penal imprisonment for serious offenses as capital punishment has been renounced by an increasing number of countries. Harsh punishments include capital punishment, life imprisonment and long-term incarceration. These forms of punishments are usually used against serious crimes that are seen as unethical, such as murder, assault and robbery. Many people believe that harsher punishments are more effective as they deter would-be criminals and ensure justice is served. Opposition towards harsh punishments have argued that harsher punishments does not necessarily increase effectiveness because they do not have a deterrent effect, do not decrease recidivism rates and do not provide rehabilitation.

    Read More

More about Issues Surrounding Punishment

Open Document