Should the main goal of prisons be to rehabilitate or punish?

kissmybum

punish

Frank T.

A good center and combination of the two.
Rehabilitate with punishment.
Punishment will reahbilitate.
You know the cruel way to make a dog stop peeing in the house, (rub his nose in the pee, it's really mean), I think it works the same way, that's a punishment, thus that rehabilitates.
Make any sense?

I also think that the punishment should fit the crime, like child molestors and murderers should get more time in jail, if jail is the punishment the longer the worse the crime; the longer the punishment THUS rehabilitation.

joe s

the answer is both,you must teach them,they did wrong and help them except the punishment they got

Travis R

Punish, child molestors recidivism rate is nearly 100%. Can't rehabilitate those kiddie thumpers. Punish them. They should be thrown under the jail.

Bruce W

Most convicts in prison are not there to be rehabilitated. Most of them it's like a day back on the school grounds. Some (a small percentage) of convicts do get rehabilitated and you have to wonder is it because they wanted to change or they hated prison and didn't want to go back? I would think that if they were punished in prison the prison's wouldn't have so many in there. Our society is to soft in it's punishment. Our form or punishment is a joke.

slimb20413

I would have to say both depending on the severity of the crime. If a person has raped and hurt a small child I dont think any rehabilitation is going to truely help. That also goes for the Rapest and the person who murders. They need sever punishment for their life in prison.
Now the person who has committed robery without harming people , yes that person can be rehabilitated.
So I would have to say truely depends on the severity of the crime in which the person committed.

Leave thumbs up or down please

tammieklly

I myself believe in both rehabilitate the person while they are being punished if that doesn't work just punishment because they don't want the help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

mikey

Punish. You can't rehabilitate someone who doesn't want help. They only want help after they have been locked up because it they say they want help someone in their family is likely to bail them out. In my years in Law Enforcement most re offend and do not think they have done anything wrong. Most have given any excuse in the book as to why they were "justified" in doing what they did.

mibenmnky

I don't have statistics, but you will find that rehabilitation does not make for a very good argument as you seem to already know. However, you didn't mention the other option which is the deterrent effect it has on the rest of society. How much crime is NOT committed by individuals who are deterred from it because of the possible consequence of prison? How many individuals commit a less extreme crime (robbery w/OUT murder) because certain crimes carry a heavier consequence? Prisons serve the purpose of reminding us why the rest of us choose NOT to commit crimes. You could make the argument that rehabilitation is that much MORE unsuccessful because the threat of prison serves as a successful deterrent to most of the population, so it would stand to reason that if the prospect of prison didn't stop you from committing that crime....rehabilitating someone who has already faced that "fear" isn't likely...they are predisposed to NOT live within the confines of a lawful society....so punishment is actually just a bonus resulting from the need to separate them from the rest of us.

Malik2x

That is a good question. I have never thought about it. I am ambivalent. I want to do both. In Manson's case, I want to punish. Too bad, it couldnt' have gone the Saddam route. Oh well.
If the criminal will change, why not rehabiltate? For ex., the man on whom the movie, "Redemption" was based sounded as if he changed, but murder was murder. He may have done good to the country had he been release instead of kept in jail even---as oppose to killed. Rappers raised Kane about that man's demise.

gablueliner

In my opinion I feel that the prison system should do both. Example: If you put a drug user in prison solely to punish him/her, then as soon as they get out they will be back to their old ways. However, if while they are being punished you rehabilitate the user to be a useful member of society, then when they get out chances are that they won't be a recidivist.

Speedfreak

Punish them all, especially hard on the violent criminals.

We should take a lesson from the Russians on this one.

Just check the repeated offenses of nearly every robbery and shooting suspect to see that rehab does not work. These guys are on the street following 10 convictions (possibly 100 or more crimes) and they may still be under 25 years old. It is time to get tough on crime. If you don't commit the crime, you have nothing to worry about (Are you listening Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson?). This is not about race (for those who wish to use that "card"), but about protecting the innocent and punishing those who are a menace to society.

SGT. D

This has been an on-going question for hundreds of years. I believe it depends on the timing of one or the other. There have been times in U.S history that Punisment was the goal and it worked well, other times have centered on rehab. and it also worked well at the time. I believe that at this time in history, we are entering a punishment era.

Dr.Jackal

They claim rehabilitation, but they don't even attempt to rehabilitate a single prisoner. So basically they're there to be punished yet that doesn't help them or society either. I'd say try to rehabilitate.

BILL

Punish

Norman V

We are taught to be good by mommy,we choose to be bad and break the laws.

Punish the law breakers !!!

Go to rehab before you break the law.

Nonya

Both. There has to be a combonation of both punishment and rehabilitation. First we punish, then we build them back up. I do however agree that a person that is convicted has to want to be rehabilitated for rehabilitation to work. So my opinion on the matter is: Keep them in prison until they are willing to undergo extensive rehabilitation. Until they are willing to commit their time in prison getting better they should remain in prison... Dont quote me on this but I believe its less expensive on the tax payer to keep him in prison than to release someone with the expectation that they will be re arrested and have to go through all that process again. If they are not willing to rehabilitate, keep em off the streets.

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