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Explain Why The Punishment Should Match The Criminal

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Explain Why The Punishment Should Match The Criminal
The Punishment Should Match the Criminal.

In the oldest written legal code “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is the general rule regarding punishment for crimes committed. The punishment should match the crime. Today, our criminal justice system contains this same basic principle: the severity of the crime generally matches the severity of the punishment in terms of number of years served, fines imposed or community service hours required. It’s time to throw out the Hammarabi Code and modernize. An updated legal code should be based on the question “whose committing the crime?” The United States prison system is in need of dramatic overhaul because our prisons are overcrowded and inhumane. In determining how to deal with …show more content…
Statistics show that 70% of incarcerated criminals are substance abusers. By simply imprisoning those with a drug or alcohol problem, we are not fixing the problem. Prisons can be dangerous and only provide a further education in the criminal life. Often times diet; education, and fitness play an important role in freeing one from addiction. Today, the United States has some drug courts that are offering chances of rehabilitation. The court system should be overhauled so that every court is able to give those criminals that are capable of rehabilitation a chance of freeing themselves from addiction. Because the number of substance abusers in prisons is so high, rehabilitating this population would greatly reduce the prison population and reduce costs and crime. Drug related arrests that are due to trafficking and not related to addiction should be handled sternly. Anything in the media that would glamorize addiction should be outlawed and those programs that encourage rehabilitation should be encouraged. (6) Offering free drug and alcohol treatment to people before they commit crimes would reduce prison rehabilitation and crime in …show more content…
In the movie “Natural Born Killers” by Oliver Stone, a couple goes on a killing rampage over a three-week course road trip. After its premiere, there were multiple murders that the movie was blamed for inspiring. (9) This movie illustrates how dangerous this group of people is and the power of the media. One of the primary questions this movie raises is why do we as a society allow a movie that is so disturbing and likely to induce heinous crimes to be shown. Although we have freedom of speech in this country, we do not have the freedom to make a movie that will most likely induce murder. (10) A system needs to be developed that will limit these types of media programs. Research as to how this group can be controlled and handled is also needed. Life long sentencing in high security facilities may be is required for this group. There is not much information available on the cause of this condition. (11) If early detection is possible, then teachers and other professionals should be on the lookout for this personality type. This is probably the only group of people that society may not be able to help and needs to be locked up under tight
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