Disadvantages Of Criminal Punishment

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Recommended: Traditional roles of punishment

Crime and its punishment are the responsibility of the criminal justice system. The system helps define what punishment is appropriate for which crime. The criminal justice system is in place to ensure that criminal laws are being adhered to according to the law. This judicial function is responsible for making sentences for those who are convicted for committing crimes. There are four traditional goals of punishment which are: retribution, deterrence, incapacitation (incarceration), and rehabilitation. Each goal has advantages and disadvantages of using; however, there have been concerns about how each goal is to be balanced and used. Due to the public view on sentencing,
Retribution refers to the concept that offenders should be punished for committing crimes when they freely violate existing social rules. This theory suggests that people get just what they deserve. Retribution reflects that the punishment be in accordance or equivalent to the crime. It is designed to restore …show more content…

This theory focuses solely on the offender and believes that the severity of punishment and gravity of crime are not related. The rehabilitation theory states that the offenders should be treated rather than punished. Rehabilitation programs provide offenders with the education, skills, and treatment that is necessary for them to change their behavior. Rehabilitation is considered as a positive and constructive means for dealing with criminals. A disadvantage of using rehabilitation is that some of the programs can lead to abuse. One of the problems associated with the rehabilitation is that some of programs can be costly if not implemented properly. “The punitive nature of prison can outweigh any potential benefits associated with rehabilitative programming. It is difficult to successfully implement rehabilitative change in punitively oriented prison environments”(Alleman & Gido,

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