Should we bring back corporal punishment for criminals?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I think physical punishment lends itself to bravado. I think we need boring, maximum boring. What's the most boring thing you can do to a person over say, a two week period?

Jury service?

Make the felons have to listen to other felons plead their innocence. That could work...

[Robert_S]

I think physical punishment lends itself to bravado. I think we need boring, maximum boring. What's the most boring thing you can do to a person over say, a two week period?

Jury service?

Make the felons have to listen to other felons plead their innocence. That could work...

They do that already.

I suggest we set up a scenario where they have tasks, too simple to really be a challenge, yet too varied to get into a rhythm and do it on autopilot while the imagination roams elsewhere.

Answering a variety of very simple questions for 16 hours straight, maybe with small breaks for meals?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I think physical punishment lends itself to bravado. I think we need boring, maximum boring. What's the most boring thing you can do to a person over say, a two week period?

Jury service?

Make the felons have to listen to other felons plead their innocence. That could work...

They do that already.

I suggest we set up a scenario where they have tasks, too simple to really be a challenge, yet too varied to get into a rhythm and do it on autopilot while the imagination roams elsewhere.

Answering a variety of very simple questions for 16 hours straight, maybe with small breaks for meals?

So.. a call centre?

[Tyrannical]

Stockades seem like a good idea.

[Robert_S]

You see, it [i[]has[/i] to be boring. You can command respect in some circles for having been in a dangerous or painful situation. You can tell exciting stories about violence and rebelling against the authority.

The account of the experience has to be boring as well. Nobody should want to hear of it. Nobody should be able to act out a sexual fantasy based on it.

So.. a call centre?

No, you can get your sadism on at one of those.

[Blind groper]

Punishment of any kind has never worked, if we judge by reoffending rates. If we lock someone up, at least that has the value that the offender cannot offend while imprisoned.

Of course, you could add value to capital punishment by having paying spectators.

[Cormac]

Sure, why not? I'd add another option, the stocks. Let the lower orders throw rotten veggies at them. And tumbrels, always liked that idea.

No good.

That is a TV show called I'm a celebrity, get me out of here...

[Clinton Huxley]

I think physical punishment lends itself to bravado. I think we need boring, maximum boring. What's the most boring thing you can do to a person over say, a two week period?

Make them read a compilation of posts by CES and Seth arguing over the precise meaning of a word in the US Constitution?

They'd probably choose prison after a day of that.

[Svartalf]

8th amendment , cruel and unusual... as I said, ready to void all that? Because what you propose IS exceedingly cruel.

[Robert_S]

Punishment of any kind has never worked, if we judge by reoffending rates. If we lock someone up, at least that has the value that the offender cannot offend while imprisoned.

Of course, you could add value to capital punishment by having paying spectators.

                      

!!1!	NOTMOD User has been grounded for two weeks for this post

That's because we haven't found the right punishment. I think high levels of sustained boredom are worth a try.

Alternatively, we could use advanced annoyance techniques.

As it is we're depriving employers of workers and producers of consumers. We're depriving families of family members. We're sending people on long term criminal trajectories who may have the potential to become or remain valued members of our societies.

I'll tell you right now, if I wasn't afraid to go to jail, I'd sell enough reefer to buy Havana.

[Audley Strange]

You see, it [i[]has[/i] to be boring. You can command respect in some circles for having been in a dangerous or painful situation. You can tell exciting stories about violence and rebelling against the authority.

The account of the experience has to be boring as well. Nobody should want to hear of it. Nobody should be able to act out a sexual fantasy based on it.

So.. a call centre?

No, you can get your sadism on at one of those.

Solitary isolation with no external stimuli. A blank soundproofed white room. For extra bad prisoners we increase the sentence and dose them with L.S.D.

Sound a bit more fashionable sci-fi rather than barbaric?

[Robert_S]

I'm thinking more deterrent than damage.

[Audley Strange]

Can you have one without the other though?

Is it not pain and fear that deter us, especially in those moments of emotion where much of what we consider crime is committed?

[Trinity]

Can you have one without the other though?

Is it not pain and fear that deter us, especially in those moments of emotion where much of what we consider crime is committed?

It depends, I think, on an individual's tolerance of such and defence mechanisms at play.

[Tyrannical]

I think physical punishment lends itself to bravado. I think we need boring, maximum boring. What's the most boring thing you can do to a person over say, a two week period?

Church, where they can pray for forgiveness for two straight weeks. Who knows, that threat of eternal damnation might work.