Prisons

Table of Contents

Introduction 2

Concept of Prison 4

The Advantages of Prison 5

The Destructive Effect of Prison 9

Conclusion 11

Cited Works 13

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Is Prison Good for the Society

I . Introduction

Punishment is a term that we are all familiar of . When we violate rules in our homes , we get punished . When we violate rules in the library , we get punished . When we violate rules in school , we also get punished . Punishment implies something that is undesirable and [banner_entry_middle]

br unpleasant and it immediately sends negative signals to our minds Indeed , punishment is a word that is very emotionally charged (Stuart Henry

.1 ) It is however something that we have come to accept as part of our life

The society also has its own method of punishment in case some of its members violate rules . These rules are called social norms which exist in every society . Norms are actually the rule or standards of behavior shared by members of a social group . They serve as a guide for every individual in determining which acts are socially acceptable and which are not . These norms could be part of an unwritten culture or part of a written law or statute

The competing interest of individuals , however , causes man to deviate from the socially-accepted norms . Deviations may be in terms of nonpayment of debt , violation of traffic laws or , in some cases , the commission of a crime . Deviations are social problems which must be addressed because they disrupt the harmony and peace of the society The philosopher Thomas Hobbes explained why people engage in deviant behavior . According to him , man by nature is nasty , brutish and short We are needy and vulnerable . We are easily led astray in our attempts to know the world around us . Our capacity to reason is as fragile as our capacity to know it relies upon language and is prone to error and undue influence . When we act , we may do so selfishly or impulsively or in ignorance , on the basis of faulty reasoning or bad theology or others ‘ emotive speech ( Thomas Hobbes Sec 5a

The system of punishment is the society ‘s response to the brutish nature of man . The punishment system in the society may involve the payment of a fine or the imposition of imprisonment , or in some extreme cases , the imposition of capital punishment otherwise known as death penalty ( Punishment ,

.2

This essay is concerned with the imposition of imprisonment as a mode of punishment . Throughout history man has been engaged in an endless debate on whether imprisonment as a mode of punishment and social control is effective . History is a witness to this as the policies on imprisonment actually shift from rehabilitation of the convict prisoner by means of short-term imprisonment and grant of probation and parole to the imposition of strict punishment by means of long term imprisonment and capital punishment . This essay aims to discuss both sides of the argument citing various respected articles . From… [banner_entry_footer]