Seriously, is there a better way to punish people than prison?--Al

-- Al Schroeder (al.schroeder@nashville.com), May 08, 2000

Answers

YES. Put them in a room with my son and force them to discuss world issues with him no less than 12 hours a day. (Sorry for what sounds like a facetious response, but it's been a very difficult day and I can't think of ANY punishment worse than this one!)

-- Bev Sykes (basykes@dcn.davis.ca.us), May 09, 2000.

I heard a talk on NPR once about reforming pedafiles through behavioral psycology. Their living on their own but they are watched with the viligence of "big brother", the treatments can be harsh to the point some have asked to be sent back to prison instead. I just liked the fact that they were working & contributing to society, and when we do start finding cures for things like pedofelia and psychopaths it will probobly be through a combination of behavioral psycology and drug therapy.

-- AJ (joijoijoi@hotmail.com), May 10, 2000.

In many cases yes, in some cases no. In my opinion, prison should be reserved for violent criminals who pose a real threat to other people's safety. Even if it doesn't rehabilitate, it keeps them where they can't hurt the rest of us. (Property crimes may or may not fall into that category, depending on my mood when you ask. I know some people are upset that a white-collar embezzler who steals a million bucks is often punished more leniently than a guy who sticks up a convenience store for fifty dollars ... but I think brandishing a gun and endangering people counts for something.) For other things, there should be other, and more fitting methods of both discipline and rehabilitation. In this case, spreading a computer virus, I'm not sure what it would be ... there's no way you could make the perps pay restitution for the amount of money they cost, but surely somebody can think of something. A lot of things that we treat as crimes are really sicknesses that are better dealt with through treatment, if we're serious about rehabilitation. Drug addiction, for example. (Selling drugs to exploit the addicted is intentional harm. Having an addition is a sickness.) And some things, I think, shouldn't be crimes at all. Consensual sex acts between adults should all be out of the hands of government to control, for just one example. Those are things to be decided between the people involved, not the state. I realize I'm long on opinions and short on solutions here, but I don't think a "one size fits all" approach to criminal justice has proved very effective.

-- Michael Hardy (mhardy63@earthlink.net), May 10, 2000.

In my own personal dictionary, prison and punishment are not synonymus. To my way of thinking, prison is a cage to keep criminals away from society - without trying to punish.

How do you punish some one who is amoral ? Atheistic ? Do you cane him ? Do you put him on a chain gang (or its present equivalent). The rock pile ?

The prisons themselves have means to punish, once an individual needs to be kept away from society he is punished for misbehavior by removal of privileges, one of which is solitary confinement. Not to be spoken to, not to associate with others and not be allowed to exercise. I think that is where the punishment is.

Just as in the mental institutions, one is confined to protect society and the inmate from causing harm to society and himself. I do not think that there is any feeling of punishment from the confinement of the insane.

A question I think, where definiton should be clearly stated beore posing it.

-- Denver doug (ionoi@wentv.net), May 10, 2000.

I don't seriously believe that prison is considered punishment. For certain crimes such as murder, rape, molestation, and any of the previous crimes listed that include mutilation or torture perps should be given a punishment similer and equal to the crime commited. I'm sure that more than a few people in prison aren't really that upset about it. If you rape a girl, mutilate her genitals, breasts, or anything else the same should happen to the you. It seems fair and justified. Other crimes like theft and drug soliciting you can't really "punish" them, but rehab or psychological therapy should be included. Plse snd me any inf. on cruel&unsl pun. for pedafiles

-- Tracy Coleen Gamache (alldagrlswantme@aol.com), November 08, 2000.

www.collaborative.org/steps.html

-- Tyrone Wallace (twallace@collaborative.org), June 21, 2001.

Yes, I believe there is. I think that it has been proven with out a shadow of a doubt that one is guilty of rape, murder, or any for of child molestation they should be immediatly taken to a empty room and SHOT IN THE BACK OF THE HEAD!!! Just like on the movie Citizen X. That's it no questions ask no second chances, just kill them like the animals they are!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Morris Martin (tristarrmusic@aol.com), June 22, 2001.

Yes, execution is much better for punishing people than prison. Just think of all the money that is wasted housing these prisoners. Let's just get rid of them and put the money to good use.

Also, anyone convicted of rape should be tied down with their anus in the air and anyone who wants to can butt fuck them. Then, after one month, kill them.

-- Martin Brundle (Martin@aol.com), June 25, 2001.