The first philosophical underpinning, retribution, suggests that individuals who commit a crime should be punished in a way that matches the seriousness of the offense. Often referred to as “an eye for an eye,” the punishment for the crime is seen to balance out the harm caused by the crime and to provide closure for victims. Fear of punishment from retribution can be used to deter crime. Society believes that retribution is necessary for victims to obtain closure and emotional satisfaction while “revenge” is being served by the justice system. The author of the article “What I learned working in a Texas prison: Retribution, not reformation,” Michael Chancellor reflects on his experience as a pastor (33 years) and counselor (6 years) at a high-security …show more content…
The Chancellor also raised concerns about the low wages and staffing shortages that contribute to systemic issues within the prisons. Despite efforts to correct these habits through religious programs, Chancellor determines that the Texas criminal justice system lacks humanity and fails to prepare offenders for reintegration into society. He questions the state's recognized Christian values considering the system's shortcomings. In this article, specifically acknowledging retribution negatively, Chancellor believes that retribution in Texas is too harsh. In this case, “an eye for an eye” is not being implemented, it is being overused. The inequalities within this justice system regarding race and mental health are beyond reasonable measure or “revenge.” The second philosophical underpinning, incapacitation, is preventing a person from committing further crimes by physically restricting their ability to do so by keeping them away from society. This is achievable through imprisonment, where the individual is confined in a prison or detention facility, leaving them unable to engage in criminal …show more content…
It highlights the necessity for addressing mass incarceration and its impact on families by advocating for reforms that prioritize deterrence and rehabilitation instead of punishment and incapacitation. The author, seventeen-year-old Joshua Martoma, suggests alternatives to traditional sentencing, such as more funding for research and nonprofit projects, and the expansion of home restraint options for parents with young children. This essay emphasizes the negative aspects of incapacitation from a very personal perspective, a son who has had to visit his father in prison. Due to his father’s incapacitation, Joshua suffered tremendously, he missed out on many opportunities that kids are supposed to experience. Joshua authored this essay to bring more awareness to parents within the criminal justice system, and to present more options than resorting to incarceration. His point of view has negatively impacted his opinion of this philosophical underpinning because of lost wages, childhood experiences, and lack of quality time with
Casey. “The Death Penalty: Morally Defensible?.” Casey’s Critical Thinking. Casey Carmical, March 8, 2011. Web. 7 Mar 2011. Lowe, Wesley. “Pro Capital Punishment Page.” Wesleylowe.com. Wesley Lowe, 17 Jan 2011. Web. 7 Mar 2011. Anderson, David. “Summary of the Arguments for the Death Penalty.” Yesdeathpenalty.com. David Anderson, 2008. Web. 7 Mar 2011. Lee, Robert. "Deserving to Die." Taking Sides. Comp. Kurt Finsterbusch. Guilford, CT: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2004. Print. Fagan, Jeffrey. “Deterrence
is cruel and the need for retribution is unjust, so it is unacceptable and shouldn’t be performed. Many say that the cost is not a reason to end the death penalty, and that regardless of the high price, it is necessary. Some say without question that over time life without parole cases cost more than death penalty cases (Top 2 of 4). This is because these prisoners have to be paid to be taken care of for many years whereas the death penalty inmates spend less time in prison. A multitude of studies
Currently, capital punishment is a very controversial issue in countries throughout the world, including the United States of America. Capital punishment is defined as the “execution of an offender sentenced to death after conviction by court of law of criminal offence” (“Capital” 1). The death penalty dates back to the laws of ancient China, where it was used as punishment for various crimes (Reggio 1). Early European settlers brought the death penalty to America, and England was the country that
are classified as maximum custody. This means that they are kept in a cell by themselves. Keeping prisoners on death row costs $90,000 more per year than regular confinement due to single cell housing and the extra guards that are needed in those prisons (Barnes 2 of 2). Security for the death row inmates is greatly increased which adds about 100,000 dollars to the cost of incarcerating each death row prisoner (Williams 1 of 2). California’s 714 capital prisoners cost $184 million more per year than