Latest Breaking News

Xithras

(16,191 posts)

11. There's a deep schism among Democrats as to the purpose of prison.

Tue Dec 20, 2011, 08:12 PM

Dec 2011

Some of us believe that the point of prison should be rehabilitative. To set people on the right track, offer them the psychological help they need to correct any dangerous worldviews, to train and educate people as needed so they will have the skills to become contributing members of society, and to help treat any addictions that might be behind their behaviors. The point of prison is to make "bad people" better.

Others take a narrower view and believe that the primary purpose of prison is punitive, and that people should be sent to prison to enforce "justice" for their crime. To them, rehabilitation is secondary to causing the prisoner discomfort...it's a form of societal "revenge" for the persons crime.

In my book, this is one of the many dividing lines between people who are merely Democrats, and those who are actually liberal Democrats. One cannot be a "liberal" while simultaneously calling for vengance on a teenage boy. Few people, and even fewer teenagers, are beyond rehabilitation.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

39 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Teen gets 21 years in prison for killing gay classmate [View all] Blue_Tires Dec 2011 OP

Wow. Gee, sure hope that hatred was worth it. HughBeaumont Dec 2011 #1

I wonder how much of his hate was learnt from home Blue_Tires Dec 2011 #2

A lot of it. I live in Oxnard and.... arbusto_baboso Dec 2011 #26

Thanks for the insight... Blue_Tires Dec 2011 #29

Ugh. The kid was doomed then. tblue Dec 2011 #32

What is truly sad about this Versailles Dec 2011 #3

Could go another way. hang a left Dec 2011 #4

Just out of curiosity, enlightenment Dec 2011 #5

Because he was 14 at the time of the crime. hang a left Dec 2011 #19

His hatred of gay will make it very prominent in his life Mr. Sinister Dec 2011 #6

'Prison rape' is not the same as 'gay sex' Cal Carpenter Dec 2011 #7

of course Mr. Sinister Dec 2011 #10

Contrary to common snickering ignorance, prison is not one running rape-orgy Bucky Dec 2011 #27

I wasn't trying to laugh at this misguided child's misfortune Mr. Sinister Dec 2011 #33

And to reiterate my previous point Mr. Sinister Dec 2011 #34

There have been quite a few prison rape jokes on DU over the yrs and most posters don't like them uppityperson Dec 2011 #37

Thank you for asking instead of assuming Mr. Sinister Dec 2011 #38

Why should a 14 year old serve 17 years in prison? joeglow3 Dec 2011 #8

because he killed another kid on purpose and was old enough to know that isn't ok JI7 Dec 2011 #9

What age is that line crossed? joeglow3 Dec 2011 #14

i don't know, but once in the teens for sure JI7 Dec 2011 #17

So, death penalty for a 13 year old is no worse than for a 30 year old? joeglow3 Dec 2011 #18

i don't support the death penalty, i'm talking life in prison or more years . at the very least the JI7 Dec 2011 #20

There's a deep schism among Democrats as to the purpose of prison. Xithras Dec 2011 #11

A question for you. LiberalAndProud Dec 2011 #12

Question for you joeglow3 Dec 2011 #13

"If it is because of nature, how can you punish them?" Are you arguing for absolute arnarchy? LiberalAndProud Dec 2011 #15

A third purpose of incarceration thucythucy Dec 2011 #16

We could kind of tell which side you were on when you used words like 'narrower view', 'merely Shoe Horn Dec 2011 #23

Interesting distinction Bucky Dec 2011 #30

I notice not one word about the murdered victim or his survivors.. MicaelS Dec 2011 #35

It's usually the right that claims that if you empathize with an offender EFerrari Dec 2011 #39

Because sentencing is not all about the criminal, it's also about the victim's sense of justice... Shoe Horn Dec 2011 #22

Actually, 17 is pretty light for premeditated murder Blue_Tires Dec 2011 #24

unless... Bucky Dec 2011 #31

There's a reason we have separate juvenile and adult justice systems mainer Dec 2011 #25

agree. There is a reason why we have age of consent laws for sex. There is a reason why a 14-y/o Douglas Carpenter Dec 2011 #28

Only 21 years ? n/t UndertheOcean Dec 2011 #21

How pathetic. mactime Dec 2011 #36