I was wondering what is the the purpose of sending people to jail? I heard numerous reasons such as punishment, detterance, or is it just plain vengenance? I would like serious answers and if you can links to some sites with the answers.
215777
we put them in there from keep doing it again and might hurt someone.and putting them in jail they could instantly learn that what they did was the wrong thing to do.they should know that doing something bad would make their life a living hell in jail and they dont want to go to jail again.how old are you?
480996
Nope your right these folks committed crime and were sentenced to a term in jail. Jail is a place where you have restricted freedom and privileges. The human writes brigade think this is wrong. I think it is character building keep them swilling out there own pig pens this way they may begin to learn the advantages of not living in a prison. From there its not a great leap for them to understand what they did wrong that got them there in the first place. All while they have PlayStation's, television, three square meals, books, education, medical system better than NHS, drugs, you name it they got it where's the deterrent????
212896
I understand it.  A lot of people think the the justice system will not work for the they don't trust the system.  people believe that because Procter's have said they would rather let 100 guilty people go free than convict one Innocent man.  So people are thinking that there is not enough evidence to put some one behind bars so the feel if the take the law into there own hands the will feel better because at least something happened to the bad guy.
455778
I don't recommend you do that!\n\nPrison is prison for a reason - it's a punishment.\n\nDon't punish yourself even more buy subjecting yourself to something like that. People commit suicide in prison, rather than endure it any longer. The "nice" bits of being in prison are hugely exaggerated by the meda and skeptics of prisons.\n\nPeople always talk (and moan) about prison being too easy. That's only because everyone knows prisons are meant to be horrible so it's not interesting to talk about how awful they are!\n\nMaybe the real question you should be posting should be asking for help with your finiancial and health problems. The advice you may recieve will be more valuable than condemning yourself to a prison sentence!
194196
Well it seems to me that person should not have to keep on paying forever.  If a person fulfilled all of the requirements that were specified by a judge eg:  served their time, did their probation, went to their classes, or whatever they should get their rights back.  Once you get into trouble the system works against you.  It becomes about 100 times harder to get a job or a place to live and that's after you've done the time.  Besides let him who is without sin cast the first stone.  How many people have driven drunk and not gotten pulled over?  How many people have been publically intoxicated and not gotten put in jail?  Who has ever stolen anything?  Or lied (yes, it's a punishable offense)?
84671
I'm finding that I enjoy your questions quite a bit ProfessorAdam.  Now on to the question:\n\nBipolar justifying a crime? No.  It does not hinder your ability to think and comprehend what you are doing to that extent....often.  Having a manic episode can in fact impair that ability, but as an excuse no.  If you wish to send the individual to a mental institution to get help then by all means do so.\n\nAs a mental health professional (I use the term professional lightly as I'm just starting my career), I've found that we tend to invision Mental health issues as we see them in movies when that is far from the truth.  Most of the people I work with just want to get "better", to stop the stares that people give them, to be what we consider "normal".  There are those who have given up and will descend into insanity but they give up because no one helps them.\n\nOne thing that disturbs me the most is when a person with a mental illness is arrested and taking into custody, they are treated as if they can comprehend everything perfectly.  In a lot of places they are just thrown into jails for crimes rather than sent to an institution that will keep them out of jails and on track to having a "normal" life.  We waste tax money locking these people up.  And as a side note, they aren't stupid.  A lot of mentally ill people will commit a crime to get locked up for a night, it brings the promise of a warm cell and meals with impending freedom the next day (Small crimes, like public drunkeness).\n\nSo back to the question at hand, should it justify a crime? Never, should it be an explanation for the crime? Sometimes, that depends on the illness.  Should we just toss those individuals into a cell? Never, we should react and help them to allow to become a part of society, rather than a person thrown to the side.
403077
The problem is much more complex and can't be solved by putting more people in prison.  Factors that determine when a person is released: Prison overcrowding, sentencing guidelines, parole board or special review board decisions, etc.  None of these factors can be controlled by a psychiatrists or parole officer, and rarely do psychiatrists or parole officers have a say in the matter.  What your fail to mention is all the successful releases, don't let a few bad apples paint a negative picture of the process as a whole.
73296
It would help curb *senseless* crime if it were actually used when it should be. What kills me is the "life without parole" sentences - if that prisoner can never be rehabilitated, what use is (s)he?
133339
I did not read any of the links, but I would like to know what your point is, really.  I can't believe you think it is a good thing -- or a trivial thing -- to so warp a child's life.  Making it a monetary fine, of whatever amount, is tantamount to making all little children into prostitutes!  And slave prostitutes, at that, since they wouldn't even get the money themselves!!!\n\nThis is really bizarre, and I'm looking forward to your explanation.  I'm not going to follow all those link, and neither is anyone else, I'm guessing.  Or maybe one or two of them, but not all.
328432
Ummmmm.....you still don't quite "get it".  You almost make it sound like a demand for popularity and a demerit system.\n\nChristianity is based on love, not on punishment.  Those Christians who preach focused on hellfire and brimstone, mean well....but, their efforts only try to "scare" relion into people.\n\nThe truth is....our God is a loving one, who loves us..as we love our own children....even more.  He doesn't want to see us fail....just as we wouldn't want that for our own children. Get it?\n\nAnd, just as being a parent is sometimes, less tha pleasant....so is life.  Sometimes the negative things have to happen to provide learning and growing opportunity. \n\nChristianity is much more complex, and also much more simple ...than what you have come to conclude.
634792
Makes sense to me.  But, instead of sending them back, so they can come back tomorrow, we should put them in jail for five years.  That will stop them from coming.
533064
So many violent reactions - Just what the man in the question was obviously seeking.\n\nI was glad to see that someone thought of that and said they would get away rather than have violence visited upon them.\n\nThese type of violent people are are the dross of society and their actions are hurtful but it is worth the pain, humiliation and risk of serious violence to respond to it?\n\nCommon sense says no.
624544
My best guess is it is based on the "innocent until proven guilty" idea.  An "innocent" man should not have to stay in jail.  But, the courts need to make sure that he will show up for his court date, so they use bail money to do so.
2389
You said "I know some people don't like them just because", but it seems to me you didn't finish your sentence.\n\n"...just because they were arrested for doing something against the law, and that doesn't allow them to live how they want."
423946
I would argue about innocent people being sent to jail that turn up innocent, some of these people are put to death, what happens to those people? There are a lot of screw ups when it comes to putting innocent people in jails, especially before DNA and other research came out to be 100% sure. Look at 'Hurricane' Carter, he was sent to life in prison and after something like 30 years they found him innocent, what if he was put to death?\n\nHow can we justify killing people as punishment? Aren't we then murderers too? \n\nTry looking up information on places the death penalty has been banned and their reasons for doing so, ie Canada. \n\nThe death penalty is also very inhumane. Most of the time the poeple are killed using lethal injections however, if you look at the stats for that, most of the time the first drug they are given isn't a strong enough dosage so they actually feel their body shutting down and feel that pain while paralysed. This is feature on the show I write about below...\n\nHave you ever seen the show Penn and Teller Bullsh*t? Well they have an excellent show on this topic, I am pretty sure you can rent them now and that one is one of the first ones.
352852
All excellent points - and the simple truth is that people **DO** afford criminals more rights than victims. It isn't politically correct to do otherwise.\n\nHowever in the US, a very interesting project has been set up. In short although people cannot be FORCED to submit to corporal punishment - some criminals can VOLUNTEER to be treated in that way under some conditions - and perhaps get reduced jail time in return.\n\nLots of details here http://www.okplus.com/fedup/index.html \n\nVery interestingly, they presently have a ZERO recidivism level for people that have been through their system.\n\nDo not be thrown by the site, the program is still running BUT the website is badly in need of some updating (or was when I last looked)\n\nI think one hangup people have about corporal punishment, is the perceived severity of it. The old UK / USA way of flogging across the back in fact left little more than "shaving nicks" - if it cut at all.\n\nAnyone who has seen too many "Mutiny on the bounty" style films and wishes to disagree should try to remember that the make-up department tends to get more than a little carried away.\n\nWet rope is not sharp enough or dense enough to "lay a mans back open to the bone" Something does not need to cut to be felt ;)\n\nThe scheme mentioned above in fact uses low-voltage cable as a cheap disposable lash material. Like the rope, little or no cutting at all - but apparently the welts are quite tender at the time.\n\nI just wish we had a system like this in the UK too, I think it could be a valuable tool to help people stay out of prison and to reduce the prison population. Nanny-state in the UK though at the moment so not much chance for a while yet.
200542
If somebody wants to commit a crime, The punishment is a detterent to prevent such a move. I agree with you that there is no guarantee that after serving the required sentence, s/he will be a reformed person.Definitely, s/he feels isolated socially but we can,t let him go scot free otherwise more and more people feel inclined to indulge in such activities.