PRISON IN AMERICA BY GEORGE CHAPPELL APRIL 4, 2011 Since the beginning of time there has been good and evil, as man developed modern society he found that a need existed to separate the bad from the good. Society needed to find a way to protect the weak and defenseless citizens from the dangers of mankind. The use of confinement to punish offenders began in Europe in the early eighteen century. The concept of incarcerating offenders for long periods of time as a way of punishment for crimes is fairly new development in America. (McShane, Williams 1996) Before 1770’s with a few exceptions serious offenders received fines, corporal punishment, death, and banishment, but they were not incarcerated as a form of punishment.
Jail and Prison Comparison Paper Karlos Hampton CJS/255 05/11/15 Mitchell Jessip Jail and Prison Comparison Paper Colonial America used public humiliation, workhouses, and corporal punishment to punish criminals. In Pennsylvania Quakers believed that honest labor was a more humane way to deal with un-socialized behavior. Many other colonies started to abundant public humiliation, and began to incarcerate prisoners. In the early beginning the facilities were under local control they frequently mixed convicts with accused women with men, and petty thieves with violent offenders. Jails were managed by the local sheriff department they housed individuals convicted of misdemeanors, and crimes from small infractions to severe crimes like murder.
Capital Punishment and the Deterrence Theory Capital Punishment Deters Crime 11/9/2012 Dr. Ji Seun Sohn Brooke Lee Capital Punishment and the Deterrence Theory: Capital Punishment Deters Crime Jerry Kilgore said in an editorial written for USA Today, “As a former prosecutor, former secretary of public safety and now attorney general, I believe that some crimes are so evil, some criminals so dangerous and some victims so tortured that executing the criminal is appropriate” (Kilgore, 2002). Capital punishment, or commonly referred to as the death penalty, is the most controversial of all of the disciplinary practices. Since it involves taking another human being’s life, this is not at all surprising. Since it is the most severe of all sentences, there have been countless efforts to abolish the death penalty, and in most of the industrialized nations, with the exception of Japan and the United States of America, these efforts have proved effective. In this paper, I will discuss the effect that capital punishment has on deterring criminal activity.
Death penalty VS Life in prison By Colin Robertson “Other states are trying to abolish the death penalty... mine's putting in an express lane.” – Ron White The death penalty, as it is commonly referred, is the penalty sometimes given to the criminals faced with the most horrific crimes possible. Many feel it is necessary in order to keep society safe because of how it permanently removes these select people from society, feeling that this will keep them safe from danger. It has been a part of the justice system since the beginning of human history, used primarily in cases of murder, treason and in military service, but just because something is old, doesn’t mean it’s what is right. The last several centuries have seen the emergence of modern nation states. Almost obvious to the concept of nation state is the idea of citizenship.
The death penalty is a necessary tool for the United States as it helps reduce the extreme crimes that are arising today. The Death penalty has many opponents. Stephanie Boys is just one in thousands. In her article “The Death Penalty: An Unusual Punishment America is Inflicting Upon Itself” she argues that the death penalty is unconstitutional because it is cruel and unusual punishment. She quotes the Constitution of the United States and argues that the Death Penalty goes against the 8th amendment.
Sentencing Throughout history there have been different degrees of correctional goals, but the one goal that has prevailed throughout history is punishment. Punishment is the formal penalty for committing an act that violates the law. Punishment should be certain, quick, and appear to be more severe than the crime itself. Andrew Von Hirsch (1976), one of the leading writers on punishment states “the sanctioning authority is entitled to choose a response that expresses moral disapproval: namely punishment” (p. 49). Many individuals who choose to commit crimes are rational individuals; they choose to commit crimes.
England and France were amongst the first two countries to design penitentiaries in response to the growing criticism where extreme public violence as the means of a deterrence of a crime. Hence, the basis of a penitentiary was that it was the punishment within the detention itself and the “penitentiary ideal” itself was the extreme isolation of the criminals from society, their daily lives supervised extensively and physical labor was compulsive (Browne, 1995). So based on these penitentiary ideals, hardened criminals need to be separated from others to keep it safer, and give others the chance to reform and put back into society. Penitentiaries were established with a certain goal in mind. There were several reasons behind this.
Edward Romero Professor Blay AJ 101 22 Oct 2014 Role of punishment in the Criminal Justice System Since the birth of our country non-law abiding citizens have plagued our society which led to the creation and development of our criminal justice system that administers punishment for any crimes committed with-in our society. Punishment for crimes committed is utilized by the criminal justice system as a deterrence that can result in less crimes being committed in the future. The criminal justice system ensures that the correct punishment handed down to a defendant is appropriate for the crime committed which in turn shows future lawbreakers that their crimes will not be tolerated and will be dealt with appropriately. Depending on the crime committed, the evidence collected and how it is presented to a jury of our peers the defendant is usually sentenced to incapacitation (incarceration/capital punishment) or rehabilitation. The criminal justice system ensures that everyone that commits a crime is punished as a result of the crime they commit.
Should we adhere to the policy of “an eye for an eye”? Opponents of the Death Penalty, in their attempt to illustrate that executing a convicted criminal is no less barbaric than the crime for which he or she is being punished, claim that sentencing these individuals to death does not deter crime. In fact, such executions merely convey that it is acceptable to act violently. In her argument against Capital Punishment, Belinda York states, “Why should potential criminals be afraid of committing crimes, when the very society that prohibits such behavior resorts to the same methods” (89)? According to this view, if the state is allowed to kill, why is not this privilege extended to all citizens?
Deterrence is an act or process of discouraging and preventing an action from occurring. When potential killers know that the cost of their murderous action can result in their own death, they are much more hesitant and more likely to reconsider their plans. Murderers are selfish and sick-minded people who have no consideration of others. Isaac Ehrlich puts it perfectly, “ if one execution of a guilty capital murderer deters the murder of one innocent life, the execution is justified.” Therefore, capital punishment should be strictly enforced and legalized.Capital punishment also provides protection to the society. Philosopher Jackues Barzun compares such criminals to wolves.