Argumentative Essay On Bring Back Flogging

1128 Words3 Pages

In Bring back flogging, Jeff Jacob argues that the current criminal justice system in America is not effective or successful. He then suggests that America should bring back the old fashioned form of punishment once used by the puritans, flogging, as an alternative to imprisonment (198). Also, he says that corporal punishment is a better way to punish criminals since it is less costly for the state (98). He appeals to pathos and uses statistics to prove his thesis and persuade the audience. His argument that the current criminal justice system is not working is extremely convincing; however, he gives no reason why corporal punishment is the best alternative to imprisonment and never offers any other options. Additionally, he does not make He persuades the audience by using verbal irony and statistics. When he first mentions prison, he uses verbal irony towards the subject to express his true attitude towards imprisonment by saying that locking people in cages is more humane than punishing them physically (197). This statement is ironic because he actually believes that imprisonment is a worse punishment than corporal punishment but says that it is more humane to ridicule the opposing argument. This irony serves its purpose of telling the audience that prison is Jacoby gives no evidence of corporal punishment decreasing crime in other countries and just assumes that it would. Additionally, he never defines the term “flogging.” This lack of specification is confusing for the reader as it is unclear what Jacoby is actually talking about. For example, the reader would probably have a different opinion if by “flogging” he meant striking or spanking the offender a couple times with a belt to administer temporary pain without long lasting effects or scars, than if “flogging” meant beating the offender mercilessly with a whip until skin is broken and blood is shed. The lack of providing a definition for the word “flogging,” makes it nearly impossible for the reader to form an opinion on whether or not flogging should be brought back as a method of punishing

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