Goals of Punishment

Goals of Punishment

Punishment refers to the process of an individual being accountable for their past actions and facing the consequences. In contrast, correction entails changing one’s behavior and attitude hence preventing future crime from occurring. The correction programs have been shown to reduce crime rates more than the usual criminal justice programs (Kendall 181). The correction programs’ efficacy makes it more preferred and often employed in petty cases requiring lenient measures of accountability.

The significant goals of punishment include rehabilitation, retribution, general and specific deterrence, and incapacitation. First, rehabilitation ensures that the offenders are embraced in the community and lead everyday lives while abiding by the law. The ex-convicts are taken through therapy and training in vocational or educational institutions (Kendall 181). Rehabilitation aims to ensure smooth transitioning from the jail setting to a community setting. Secondly, retribution is the punishment given for disregarding other people’s rights (Kendall 180). Each crime has a particular sentence imposed with the crime that poses significant harm to society, attracting a hefty penalty.

Third, general deterrence works by inducing fear of punishment to reduce the probability of engaging in criminal activity in the future. Specific deterrence, which is often applied, enforces the penalty to the criminals to avoid illegal activities and the punishment that comes with and the public observing the penalty (Kendall 181). Finally, incapacitation depends on the principle that when offenders are punishment for other criminal activities in detaining areas, they cannot perform illegal acts (Kendall 181). This goal of discipline works by sequestering the defendant from the community.