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The most 'civilized' purpose of punishment is Rehabilitation -- fixing the underlying problem so as to prevent future offenses.


The Illustrated Guide to Criminal Law
Chapter 2: Punishment 
Page 2: Rehabilitation 

NARRATOR

There are several ideas. Let’s start with the most “civilized” purpose of punishment:

REHABILITATION

Mugger holding up a victim, thinking of the drugs he’ll be able to buy.

Some crimes are caused by problems that might be corrected—behavioral or psychological dysfunction, addiction, economic and community pressures, or even sheer ignorance.

Person in jail thinking emphatically about drugs.

Merely throwing such offenders in jail, without fixing the underlying problem, seems an awful waste. It doesn’t solve anything.

The State with a monkey wrench, monkeying around inside Average Joe’s head.

So why not use the State’s might to CHANGE the offender, so he won’t be likely to do it again?

Transcript




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