The Purpose of Punishment ]www.TheGpTutor.com
A.Overview:Crimeis amoralwrongthatconfersuponsocietyadutytopunishandtosetup institutionstofacilitatepunishment.Thepunishment, whichmustmatch thecrimeis anipso facto (byitsverynature)moralgood.
1. Immanuel Kant, “ThePhilosophyofLaw”
a)“justicewouldceaseto bejusticeif itwerebartered awayfor any considerationwhatever…”
2. Michael S. Moore,“TheMoralWorthofRetribution”
A) “Wearejustifiedin punishingbecause andonlybecause offendersdeserve it.”
b) Moralculpabilityisboth sufficient andnecessaryfor sanctions c) Moralculpabilityimposesa dutytopunish
C.Criticismsof Retribution
1. Twowrongs don’tmakea right; “moralalchemy”
2. Repayment tosociety?–criminal sufferingdoesn’tmakeus betteroff
D.VariationsonRetribution
1. Vengeance: Punishbased onoutrageofsocietyb/cofcrime
A)Morallyrighttohatecriminalsàinflictpunishmentsoncriminals.
b) Differentfromretribution, which focuses punishmentonpersonal blame of actor, notreactionofsociety
c) “Thefactthat hehas beenconvicted andpunished asa thief stampsamark
a)“Each individualcalculates”*JeremyBentham
a)Assigning punishment basedondeterrenceis apoor choicebecause:
(1)Rational Choice Theory
(2)Deterrencegeneratescrimeinoddways
b)It isa falseassumptionthatcareercriminals choosethatrouteinlightofthe social dysfunctionoftheirbackgrounds.
1. Peopleobey thelawb/ctheyfear social disapprovalandseethemselvesasmoral beings whowanttodotherightthing
a)Especiallyimportantin diversesociety, whichis less cohesive
A. Basic Idea:Welockcriminals uptomakethemnolongercriminal.
1.Us-focused:Makecriminals safetoreturnto the streets
a) Punishmentis justified toprotectus by turningcriminals intogoodpeople
2.Themfocused:Rehabilitatecriminalstolead successful/productivelives
A) Punishmentjustifiedas inthe criminal’s own interest
B) 2problemswiththesecondtheory
(1)Allocatesresourcesawayfromdeservinggroups
(2)Makes punishmenteasier byrecastingitashumanitarian
A. Basic Idea: lockingcrooksupprevents crimestheywouldhavecommitted, hadtheybeen free.
B.With theexceptionof low-levelfirsttimeoffenders, prisonisusefulb/cit prevents career criminalsfromcommitting morecrimes.
1. Common error:toassumethat prisonersareinconvenienced in prison.
2. Crimes committedbygangsàincapacitationisnouse
a)Lowrecruitingcosts,sotheincapacitated memberissimplyreplaced