Chapter 2
Why Punish?
Why do we punish?
What are we looking for?
-retribution?
-crime control?
-rehabilitation?
I. Deterrence:
-prevent future offenses
-offender pleasure seeking
A. Specific:certain/severe/
swift
B. General:-discourage crime
first place
II. Incapacitation-imprisonment -restrict freedom -1980’s & 90’s
a. Selective: -dangerous/repeaters
b. General:-minor felonsWhich principle do you agree with?
II. Incapacitation-surgery:-castration: surgical & chemical
II. Incapacitation: Electronic-ankle bracelets/ignition switches
III. Rehabilitation:-”restore to good health”
a. Reclamation:-rescue wrongdoers-eliminate pain/suffering-replaced corporal punishment
b. Reformation: change
-change from evil to good
-society obligated to provide:
Education/vocation/religion
-offender responsible to choose
“Iron law of imprisonment”
-
-better prepared for re-entry to society
III. Retribution: -wrongful act-penalty-severe
a. Formal penal sanction-violation of lawb. Equity- similar crimes/criminals=similar
sentencesc. Just deserts-proportional to
crime/offender
Society punishes criminals-not concerned w/deterring crime or protecting society
III. Retribution-individuals are rational people with
choices
-Norm of Reciprocity: respond to actions of others w/similar actions
-matching penalty w/crime?
-lex talionis: “eye for an eye”
IV. Restoration:-victim & society “whole”
a. Restorative sentencing:-victim-offender
mediation-misdemeanor/felony propertyb. Restorative in prison:-victim impact classes-teaches offenders
to view vics as people versus objects
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