Goals of Punishment

Scare the public into not committing crimes General Deterrence A policy that depends on the fear of criminal penalties. The goal is to convince the potential law violator that the pains associated with the crime outweigh the benefits. Scare the public into not committing crimes Capital punishment Life in prison

Restitution A policy that suggests that society should be reimbursed for its loss caused by the crime. Convicted criminals must pay back their victims for their loss, the justice system for the costs of processing their case, and society for any disruption they may have caused. Paying the victim’s medical bills Directly paying the victim in damages Paying he victim for the property stolen

Scare the defendant into not committingthe crime ever again Specific Deterrence A policy that suggests that punishment should be severe enough to convince convicted offenders never to repeat their criminal activity. Scare the defendant into not committingthe crime ever again Prison time without parole Three Strikes rule

Incapacitation The policy of keeping criminals in confinement to eliminate the risk of their repeating their offense in society. Incarceration House arrest Death penalty

Rehabilitation A policy that suggest sentencing should be aimed at reducing future criminal activity by treating and eliminating the underlying causes of crime and restore them to good standing in society. Treatment center placement Counseling Group homes Rehab facility with probation

More serious punishments for more serious crimes Retribution A policy that states that those who violate the rights of others deserve to be punished. The severity of punishment should be commensurate with the seriousness of the crime. More serious punishments for more serious crimes A rapist getting 30 years, paying restitution and sentenced to counseling

Types of Punishment How Do we Punish?

Community Sentencing Punishments that allow convicted persons to stay within the mainstream community. Less costly than prison sentences Help offender maintain community ties Feature restoration and reintegration Can be scaled to severity of the crime Includes: Probation Intermediate Sanctions (House Arrest, Shock Probation, Fines, etc) Restorative Justice Programs

Probation A criminal sentence that suspends or delays a correctional term in a person or jail. Returned to the community for a period during which they must abide by certain conditions set forth by the court. Under supervision of a probation officer. Philosophy: the typical offender is not a dangerous criminal or a menace to society, but someone who has the ability and potential to reform.

Intermediate Sanctions Penalties that fall between traditional community supervision and confinement in jail and prison. Often an addition to probation (probation +) House Arrest Electronic Monitoring Restitution: Community Service or Fines and Forfeiture( the seizure of personal property)

The Runaway Bride Two Years Probation 120 Hours of Community Service Ordered to pay $2, 250 in restitution to Sherriff’s Dept Ordered to pay $13, 250 to cover the costs of the case.

Restorative Justice Programs Restoring the damage caused by the crime and creating a system of justice that includes all parties: victim, offender, community, and society. Mediation Sentencing Circles Rehabilitation Programs

Correctional Institutions Jail- a place to detain people awaiting trial and to confine convicted misdemeanants serving sentences of less than one year. Prison- a state or federal correctional institution for incarceration of felony offenders for terms of one year or more. Goal: separate criminals from the rest of society

Capital Punishment The most severe sentence used today. Punishment for Murder Execution: Primary Method today is lethal injection 8 states still allow electric chair 1 state still allows gas chamber 2 states still allow hanging 1 state still allow firing squad (Utah)