Comments on: Prisons? Should the emphasis be on punishment or rehabilitation?

By: ladysunshineau

ladysunshineau — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 02:57:28 +0000

I have often thought that for some things prison is the wrong place you know you hear about these young kids who do something dumb just once and get locked up when perhaps all they really need is some help you know?

By: joan k

joan k — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:28:57 +0000

Punishment, prisons are supposed to be a deterrent not a holiday camp.

By: danor

danor — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:24:01 +0000

The gentle touch certainly is not working so the answer must be punishment, there wouldn’t be as many re- offenders then

By: switched on

switched on — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 02:53:36 +0000

Punishment, and put me be in charge of prison visit arrangements. I’d kill off mobile phone and the drug habit immediately by insisting that the glass screen between the convicts and their visitors was brought back. Of course one would have to get rid of all the convict loving quangos first.
It’s utterly disgusting that there should be in existence organisations that assist people in breaking the laws of the land.

By: Frankenstein's Penguin

Frankenstein's Penguin — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:22:44 +0000

They should punish them by making them try to post polls on Yahoo! Then they should rehabilitate them.

Quiet Quill, how long were you in jail for being the sexiest man alive with two feet?

By: Pater Patriae

Pater Patriae — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:24:25 +0000

Punishment, rehab has been shown to be a dismal failure.

By: leopardshaz

leopardshaz — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:19:21 +0000

I would have thought being incarcerated and losing your liberty was the punishment side?

By: Polish

Polish — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 12:28:47 +0000

Being in prison is punishment. Remember, when the sentence is completed, they will be back out on the street. Wouldn’t it be wise , if before they are released, they are rehabilitated. Warehousing people and mistreating them will not solve any problems.

By: Ivan R

Ivan R — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:19:10 +0000

Hello,

(ANS) This is a difficult dilemma even for the experts in the field of crime and how we should deal with offenders. This is more an ethical dilemma I would say, the problem is views on this dilemma vary so much within our society.

**Punishment:- If you only punish a person then that person could end up becoming more belligerent and more determined to commit some form of revenge offense upon release from prison. That just exacerbates the problem of the revolving door system of offense prison releasere-offense etc. But does not give back anything to society or the person/s offended against. It doesn’t heal the wound if you like, the core problem just festers.

**Rehabilitation:- If you only offer rehabilitation without any element of punishment then that would be a totally soft option many criminals would take advantage of this kind of scheme and probably use it to commit further crimes (because that’s in the nature of a criminal way of thinking! i.e. something for nothing!! possibly).

THE MIDDLE WAY!!
I think the best approach is both carrot stick combined, meaning a middle pathway which combines both punishment rehabilitation. i.e. punishment is the loss of liberty i.e. the ultimate loss of freedom and rehabilitation meaning that a person in prison has to do something reasonably constructive with there time energy. Hopeful something that might benefit society in the wider sense and may be the victim of their offense too?

Ivan

By: C.dee

C.dee — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 07:36:56 +0000

surely the punishment is being sent to prison,the loss of one’s liberty?people shouldn’t be punished whilst in prison,unless for a breach of rules but that’s different.emphasis should be on rehabilitation.