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2.2: Discuss the aims of punishment - Coggle Diagram
2.2: Discuss the aims of punishment
Retribution
Paying back
'Just deserts' - offenders deserve to be punished and society should take revenge
Proportionality - the punishment should fit the crime - 'an eye for an eye'
Expressing moral outrage
Society can express condemnation or outrage at the offender
Example - Hate crimes that are racially motivated can uplift a sentence
Theory
Right Realism - Criminals commit due to rational choice so should suffer the outrage of society
Functionalism - Moral outrage expresses boundary maintenance in society. Expresses right and wrong.
Criticisms
Offenders may deserve forgiveness or a chance to make amends, not just punishment
E.g. fixed penalties give punishment where a remorseful offender has shown no good will come of the punishment
How do we decide what is proportionate for each crime?
Rehabilitation
Reform or change an offender's behaviour so they can live a crime-free life.
Rehab policies
Education and training programmes
Anger management courses
Drug treatment and testing orders
Theory
Skinner - token economies to encourage prisoners to use more accepted behaviour
Left realism - adresses the needs of social factors like unemployment etc. as causes of crime to reduce offending
Criticism
Right realism - limited success: some still go on to reoffend
Marxism - shifts responsibility into the individual rather than capitalism
Deterrance
Putting people off doing something