Do you think prison is a good way to punish criminals?

If this is Sociology GCSE, we did this topic and it was so interesting. There are, if I remember correctly, prisons in like sweden/norway (not entirely sure) which are almost "open" and they have freedom and it has a higher chance of rehabilitation than the typical ones seen in UK/US. I don't think prisons work, personally, but I think they're a decent way to 'punish' criminals. I feel the reason the "open prisons" have higher success rate is because their aim is to rehabilitate, whereas the ones in the UK are more there to protect citizens from criminals. We watched a lot of documentaries on prisons in Sociology and honestly, a lot of the prisoners seem to enjoy the prisons and have accustomed to prison life. Plus, being around criminals all day reinforces criminal ideology and encourages deviant behaviour. In terms of punishment, having virtually no freedom and being locked away from society seems like a good way to punish those who deserve to be punished however, I am about retribution and I feel that with sufficient evidence that there should be a death sentence/more enforced "higher security" measures such as solitary depending on the severity of the crime

How can a registered sex offender be registered if they were never arrested?

Prison alone is not a good way of punishing people. You need to actually punish people, the best and most productive way is to put them to work, hard work.

Ohhh okay so you're not supportive of the personal profit that they make out of prisons. I would totally agree with that since its focused on the money and totally desensitises the concept of prison.

Coming to protecting the population, it's all for a set period of time though. After a couple of years - or more - these people will come out and are very likely to reoffend for many reasons. So prisons do a good job of protecting the population for the short term but not the long term.

They reoffend because of recidivism which is the systematic inevitability of recommitting. Some people see prison as a home or shelter, whether because they've been there so long and just mentally cannot cope; or, they can't get what they get in prison when they're out, like timely meals and a bed and protection. Others reoffend because it's hard to get housing and employment, which is a governmental hindrance. And yes after some time they do come out and are on the loose again lol but that's why they have parole officers to manage what they do, where they go, what they can/can't do. If they don't apply they go back. It's a lifetime of house arrest and being on punishment, basically, which is strict but good. I do feel it's a good way but not the only, final way, of course not.

Well argued! I cant help but to say I agree with your rebuttle ☺️

Lol, as if the death penalty if worse than torture, I'm sorry but that statement is fundamentally flawed.

They do work in prison...

and stop being perverse. I'm asking since you disagree with prisons, ok let's say the gov't decided to close them. So let's say sex offenders are registered as in, each year, sex offenders have to renew ID and certain documents saying they are a sex offender like a lifetime of parole and reporting to your parole officer (that is actually what they currently do, which is what registered means). So anyway they're registered but walk around willy nilly scot free. And serial killers (I like how you didn't answer that which means no you wouldn't like it which means you're bonkers for disagreeing with prison).

Yess it's GCSE, and I agree it's so interesting. I didn't know about Sweden/Norway's prisons omg thankyou for that information!

Playing devil's advocate once again:
So you're all for rehabilitation but once the crime severity is higher, you believe in solitary confinement? Don't you think the severity of crime depends on severity of mental state? (Referring to upbringing, peers etc)

I'm not entirely sure if it is sweden or norway but it was a definitely a first world country that wasn't UK or US. Maybe ask your sociology teacher, I got full marks in my sociology GCSE and it's a good thing to put in your 24 mark essays!! (if you have those).
And I do believe that rehabilitation is the way to remedy a criminal. I believe in punishment but feel that the primary focus should be on rehabilitating a criminal in order for re release into society to be as safe as possible but I do believe some crimes such as rape, murder, kidnapping shouldn't have the same leniency of rehabilitation. Would you really compare someone who was, say, a common shop lifter to someone who had axe murdered their whole family? I feel rehabilitation is a luxury and should be given to those who
a) want to be rehabilitated
and
b) deserve to be rehabilitated
Someone who has committed a crime that is unspeakable doesn't, imo, deserve the same chance as someone who was involved with petty theft however it varies from person to person/crime to crime.
Mental health too plays a part in the crime committed but I feel it's hard to differentiate between when someone is insane and when someone isn't. If, for example, a person had axe murdered their family the public's general response would be "oh my god what a crazy lunatic" but that may not be the case. Of course, there are the roles of professional psychologists, psychoanalysts and psychiatrists but they're trained to understand body language and certain responses in which someone may be able to manipulate and change. Mental health definitely plays a part within criminals but I don't feel that excuses/justifies the behaviour, merely provides an explanation.

Point definitely well made, I can't even find something to go against in that 😂 Have you carried Sociology onto A levels?

No, sadly. I'm doing psychology, eng lit, art and economics and I wish I had done sociology instead of eco. It does get a lot more difficult at a level though. What grade are you aiming for?

The question was whether or not prisons work to punish criminals. The answer is no.

If this is Sociology GCSE, we did this topic and it was so interesting. There are, if I remember correctly, prisons in like sweden/norway (not entirely sure) which are almost "open" and they have freedom and it has a higher chance of rehabilitation than the typical ones seen in UK/US. I don't think prisons work, personally, but I think they're a decent way to 'punish' criminals. I feel the reason the "open prisons" have higher success rate is because their aim is to rehabilitate, whereas the ones in the UK are more there to protect citizens from criminals. We watched a lot of documentaries on prisons in Sociology and honestly, a lot of the prisoners seem to enjoy the prisons and have accustomed to prison life. Plus, being around criminals all day reinforces criminal ideology and encourages deviant behaviour. In terms of punishment, having virtually no freedom and being locked away from society seems like a good way to punish those who deserve to be punished however, I am about retribution and I feel that with sufficient evidence that there should be a death sentence/more enforced "higher security" measures such as solitary depending on the severity of the crime

No. It wasn't. The question is, is it a good way to punish criminals. The answer is yes. Is it the only good way, no. It also doesn't ask: is prison a good way to rehabilitate criminals.

It said punish. And yes prison is a good way to punish criminals. Stop making stuff up.

It isn't a good way because it doesn't work, English prisons have a proven reoffending rate of 26%.

It isn't a good way because it doesn't work, English prisons have a proven reoffending rate of 26%.

do you understand English? It's a good way to punish. Again I didn't say to rehabilitate, what are you doing? I've already discussed with someone that it's not a good way to rehabilitate. It is a good way to punish.

You're confusing punishment with rehabilitation, my friend