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Originally Posted by ntluser
I think we are agreed that if a crime is committed that justice can only be seen to be done if the criminal is caught and punished.
It's also true to say that in a crime where a murder takes place, the execution of the criminal concerned is only acceptable when we can be 100% certain that there is no chance of mistaken identity and no chance of the offender being re-habiitated, because in the event a mistake is made the State has violated the rights and extinguished the life of an innocent person, which is unacceptable.
In the case of imprisoning correctly convicted criminals, there is the issue that when they leave, they will not be in a position to take advantage of job opportunities because of their criminal record and their lack of training. The result therefore is that they go back to crime and re-offend.
I think a balance could be drawn by sending convicted criminals to prison as punishment, but also by having a compulsory post-prison organisation, which deals with their rehabilitation and training.
In that way criminals can see that the State is on the one hand punishing them for their crime, but on the other hand is preparing them for their re-entry into society as a productive citizen.
I think it would also be useful if the government ran small businesses, which solely employed ex-criminals to give them the opportunity to make a positive contribution. Hopefully in this way we could prevent them re-offending and get them out of the habit of committing crime.
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Top idea!
I am, contrary to what some might think, in favor of re-rehabilitation but I strongly believe that crime should also be
punished. That is the way that (stupid/short sighted/impulsive) humans are educated, just think about how children are taught right from wrong- rewards and punishments- if rewards don't work then you try punishment. Many criminals are no different to children, they are impulsive, irrational and have a short 'horizon'.
Before anyone says that we should then 'reward' criminals with re-hab only, I would point out that they, unlike children, are adults and while you can 'con' kids with rewards to get them to behave, adults cotton onto that kind of thing very quickly-so we need punishment to go before reward in that case.