Corporal Punishment: an Unnecessary Evil

1654 Words7 Pages
Running head: CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: AN UNNECESSARY EVIL Corporal Punishment: An Unnecessary Evil Jason King Shirley Regis Comp II ITT Technical Institute Abstract The use of physical force to discipline children may be legal, but that in and of itself does not mean that it is right; or even the best way to achieve behavioral compliance from children. Once we have a better understanding on the ecological, physical, and psychological ramifications of the use of physical violence on our young, it becomes imperative that we find alternate means to discipline them. The goal of every parent should be to provide protection, education, and most importantly a stable loving environment for their children to grow up in. There are positive ways to discipline a child that do not include impeding their development and adaptation, so they can become well-adjusted functional members of society. Corporal Punishment: An Unnecessary Evil Corporal Punishment, as Struas and Donnelly (2005) define, “the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for the purpose of correcting or controlling the child’s behavior” (p.3). Although perfectly legal in most states, to intentionally inflict pain upon our children to achieve a desired level of obedience, does not make it right or negate the fact that such types of punishment can have negative effects not only physically, but emotionally and psychologically as well. “Parents need to encourage their kids, support them, spend time with them, and tell them they love them. Parents should not be allowed to hit their children, that is violence and things will only get worse” (Covell & Howe, 2008, p.63). As times progress, more adults view on corporal punishment seem to be following suit, as seen in surveys over the years. “A 1978
Open Document