Check-point: Objectives of Punishment Robert J. Nicol CORRECTIONS: A WORLD APART/CJS/230 November 2, 2011 Larry Doyle
Objectives of Punishment 2
Punishment is the authoritative imposition of something negative or unpleasant on a person, animal and/or society in concern to the behavior or act considered wrong and/or illegal by a single entity or society as a whole. Punishments account for their degree of severity of their unpleasantness, and may include punishments such as reprimands, restrictions of privileges and/or liberty, fines, incarcerations, ostracism, the infliction of pain, and the death penalty. * * There are five main objectives to the punishment of criminals within the criminal justice system. 1) Incapacitation: if the criminal is in jail or prison then society does not have to be concerned that the criminal will commit another crime. 2) Deterrence: Threaten the criminals with harsher and longer sentencing laws in order to deter them from committing more crimes, 3) Restitution: Make the criminal return payment for any and all damages occurred during the commission of his/her crime. 4) Retribution: This is also considered revenge, “an eye for an eye; a tooth for a tooth”, The criminal done harm
