Citing-
Heffer, Simon. Many Criminals Just Need an Education. The Telegraph, 2 July 2010. Web. 2 May 2016.
Doing good for bad done, is exactly what it sounds like and the chapter goes on to explain why we don't do bad to bad people instead we do good such as give them an education. Bad people are called bad people because the do bad things and it's a choice they choose to do so if we do bad to bad people that would make us bad people as well. On page 223 the question was why should we do good to bad people? “The answer is because anything else would be bad.” Giving them an education was an example that gives them a sense of hope and understanding, they have done bad things because they have a lack of good in their life for example education. Its scientifically proven that criminals have a lesser chance to reoffend if they are given an education. My thoughts on this subject are in the same boat as this chapter. I believe we all have choices in life and sometimes we just need to be lead or put in the right path even after we do bad, but yet still give some type of punishment to make the criminal realize what you did is going to have an effect on you. I remember a time when I was little I was in a store and wanted gum and my mom didn’t get it so I put it in my pocket and walked out. My mom saw me and took me back inside to give it back. Instead of punishing me she took me back to learn what could have really happened if I got caught do something like that. It showed me later in life that I could have ended up in bad places, so luckily she taught me instead of just punishing me. Less severe example but same concept. In the online article “The Telegraph” they explain what they do with criminals and how most of them are given some type of education to move on in life and not just commit another crime when let out. Simon Heffer says, “It is not sending people to jail that indicates a failure on behalf of society, because if there are persistently bad people about then they must be punished and the public protected from them. It is what we do with criminals once they get there.” (paragraph 2)
Citing- Heffer, Simon. Many Criminals Just Need an Education. The Telegraph, 2 July 2010. Web. 2 May 2016.
Deciedra Gutierrez
5/5/2016 11:19:19 pm
If I am not mistaken, this facilitation is about punishment. In which case, I would have to say it all depends. I know I have had that stance this whole book, but I feel like there really is no either or when it comes to such a topic. Some say punishment is bad and ineffective, while others say we need punishment and to rule with an iron fist. Personally, I think it depends on the situation and the severity of the “crime.” For example, you stealing gum should not be a five year sentence in prison, but breaking into someone’s house to steal their belongings deserves a different sort of punishment.
Jacob Rohn
5/6/2016 01:44:53 pm
Punishment is a crucial aspect to insure order and justice in any society. Punishment and educating people of their mistakes should go hand in hand. Neither is successful without the other. People need to be help responsible for their actions. Once they realize they have wronged they then can be helped and taught right from wrong. If there were no negative consequences for actions people shouldn't take, people could and would do what ever they wanted knowing nothing will happen to them. I also think that not everyone can be helped. Some people choose to think and act a certain way and no amount of coaxing or education can change that. They should only be helped if they are looking for help and willing to make sacrifices and change their ways.
Shellie Virden
5/8/2016 10:30:41 am
When it comes to punishment, I think that it all depends on the situation. Obviously, someone who committed murder would need a more severe punishment than someone who ran a stop sign. There are times when it’s best that somebody should be put in prison, and times when it’s ok if somebody isn’t. However, I agree that we shouldn’t do bad things to bad people. I think this only spreads negativity and doesn’t do anything to fix the issue at hand. Instead, it makes the situation worse often times. Newton is right when he talks about how most prisoners will eventually get out of prison and will be our neighbors. This is why it’s important to have some good directed towards prisoners. One aspect of prison should be rehabilitation, not just punishment. Because, when the prisoners are released back into society, it’s best to know that they are better educated on how to make the best choices and not fall back into their old ways. In the article, “Measuring the Power of a Prison Education”, Eric Westervelt found after 30 years of research, “...If an individual participates in any type of correctional education program — whether it be adult basic ed, GED preparation, college education or vocational training — they had a 13 percentage point reduction in their risk of being re-incarcerated”. This is an amazing find and proves just how well giving prisoners the chance to further their education and treating them “well” can be.
Harman Dhaliwal
5/8/2016 07:55:26 pm
I honestly feel the best way to combat the "bad" in a person is through the utmost of goodness. Growing up, I have always heard the expression: two wrongs do not make a right. In other words, giving back venom where venom is already present is counterproductive. Being the petty individual that I am aware I am, I often struggle with this. Over time, it is something that I have learned that I have to deal with. Still, I try my hardest to be the bigger person in these instances. In the case of punishment, I too believe a learning curve is a part of the experience when attempting to not repeat mistakes. No two infractions are the same, so how they are handled should be similarly focused. In a perfect situation, once someone is detained or caught red-handed, it is anticipated that they will learn from their mistakes and hopefully not repeat them. Of course, it is just as important that the "good" guys make it a priority to help facilitate these changes. Like we have discussed in the past, our law enforcement and government must work to make prisons every bit a detention center and a place dedicated to creating change.
Megan Rebello
5/10/2016 06:48:35 pm
I definitely agree that we should do good things to bad people. If we always just did bad things for bad people they would continue to be bad. If we do good things for them they might chance and start doing good. I have a similar experience where I stole a candy bar from a grocery store when I was 2 years old and my mom said no. Later on at home when she saw me pull it out she realized what I had done and immediately took me back to the store. I had to apologize to the store manager and give it back and it was a great learning experience for me.
Lindsey H
5/11/2016 11:35:11 am
It is hard to speak about this subject on behalf of all criminals. Because there are convicts who are in and out of the system consistently who show no remorse and the last thing they deserve is to be taught how to structure an essay or analyze Shakespeare. If it was up to me, we would drop them off somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle. I think there needs to be clear cut limitations and requirements for someone to deserve an education or any privileges really in prison. I do understand that some kids have never been taught right from wrong and never had a proper home life but there's a big difference from someone like Larry who started off stealing and ended up committing a murder that he is extremely remorseful for than to a 60 year old man who likes little boys and is a serial killer. In my High school English course when we did a unit on juvenile delinquents, we watch a documentary about teens from California and one of the young men told us that when he was about 6 or 7 his mother started teaching him how to steal and so that was the only life he ever knew. It is very sad that is reality for many people and in those cases I do believe they deserve an education and therapy for that matter. Educating felons is a good idea but there needs to be clear cut criteria.
Mikayla Lockard
5/12/2016 02:15:58 pm
I love how Ryan says, “...if we do bad to bad people that would make us bad people as well.” To address the same questions he poses and answers, “Why should we do good to bad people?”, I completely agree with his answer, “because anything else would is wrong.” To add to that I believe that just because people choose to do bad things doesn’t make them bad people. Heck I choose to do bad things on the daily such as: not finishing my homework, speeding, parking in two spots and not fixing it before I leave, etc. This all kind of to how God says all sins are created equal. It doesn’t matter what sin you commit because in the end it’s all sin and God forgives you and doesn’t treat you from a terrible person from then on out. This is not to say that some of the negative choices people choose doesn’t have efforts that harm others I’m just saying we should all forgive and try and help each other better ourselves because nobody is perfect and that is what God would want us to do. When we treat people a certain way they’ll most likely act the way they are being treated because of the effect it all has on them. We need to treat criminals not as criminals but as regular people who need help and guidance; they need to be showed God’s love through us so they can start to improve themselves therefore bettering the world we live in.
Alejandra Granados
5/15/2016 03:55:21 pm
When do we know when a criminal needs to be punished severely, though? Or when do we know when a criminal has truly changed? The topic of punishment and criminals is hard to address. For example, Newton, he did many, many wrongs before he started to change, but he was given the opportunity to change. So like Lindsey said, “…but there’s a big difference from someone like Larry who started off stealing and ended up committing a murder that he is extremely remorseful for than a 60 year old man who likes little boys and is a serial killer”, but did that “60 year old man” receive the same opportunity as Newton? They both committed a crime and are considered criminals and they both ended up in jail, so how do we know when to give someone a “chance to feel” remorseful for a crime they committed? I’m not saying that the 60 year old man needs to be praised for what he has done, but maybe if he, like Newton, was given the chance to learn academically, but also learn from his mistakes, he might feel regret and maybe even seek mental health. In the discussions it’s all about “yeah, prisoners need an education to better themselves” or “no, criminals are criminals and can’t change”, but how would we know if they are never giving the chance. I guess what I’m trying to say is that every criminal should get the same opportunity, no matter the crime they have committed. It is up to the criminal then to take that advantage and change for the good, or simple not care and keep having the same criminal mentality, in that case, then I agree with Lindsey and they should “be [dropped] off somewhere in the Bermuda Triangle”.
Amado Rodriguez
5/16/2016 12:05:36 pm
I agree with Lindsey to a certain extent since people tend to change. I also believe that prisoners make their lives better by doing good deeds and influencing another inmate’s life in a positive way. I do not fully agree with the previous statement because after inmates are released they tend to get back to their old habits. In the article “After Prison, then what?”, they talk about large numbers of inmates that are released who fall into recidivism because it is hard for them to fit into society once again. They also mention that their program called Released and Restored helps inmates become prepared for the outside world before their time is up. Inmates who are prepared before they are released run a far less risk of reoffending. They are taught critical thinking skill such as goal setting, making positive and constructive choices, and appropriate conflict resolution skills. Apart from that they receive help finding a place before they are released, where to find jobs, how to apply for a job, and have a basic job and life skills. Many inmates have a second opportunity to change and influence other inmates around them but first they must change themselves.
Alicia Torres
5/16/2016 06:38:00 pm
I agree that we should treat people well. I also agree with Lindsey that “just because people choose to do bad things doesn’t make them bad people”. Everyone does bad things whether it be lying to your parents, fighting with a sibling, not doing homework, etc., but that does not make you a bad person. Doing something bad doesn’t define a person or make them less good. I agree with you that people can change when they are put in the right path and for the inmates’ education is a perfect way to get better. I don’t exactly agree that everything bad that people do should be punished but at the same time there needs to be consequences it just depends on the circumstances. For criminals this is much more of a big deal since they are actually committing a crime so some sort of punishment might make them change and not do it again. But I personally think the best way for inmates to change for the better is through education.
Danielle Izaguirre
5/17/2016 10:12:37 am
I believe that punishment is beneficial. Punishment can stop general deterrence and specific deterrence. For example, if someone commits a crime they need to be punished based upon the severity of the crime. General deterrence comes along with punishment. Let's say person 1 commits a murder and they get caught. Now they are serving 25 to life, their sentence goes public. Now person 2 is planning on committing the same crime, but they saw that person 1 got caught and is now serving life in prison. It could stop person 2 from committing that crime for the fear of not wanting to be in prison. But if there was no punishment at all, then person 2 would have committed their crime without any hesitation. And specific deterrence is now that person 1 is in prison, he or she cannot commit another crime again, or it is not as easy for them to recommit once more.
Suzanne Mendez
5/19/2016 10:16:05 pm
This is a great example of fighting fire with fire! Nothing good is going to come of it. At first I was never in support of the inmates but, and I'm sure a lot of us have had our opinions changed, an education can have a tremendous impact on a person. If prisoners are less likely to commit crimes when they are given an education then the logical thing to do is to give them a education! It would not only rehabilitate them but enlighten them. In addition to lowering the dependency on prisons in America. The Washington Post had posted an article reporting the amount of prisons compared to the amount of colleges in the United States and the results were crazy! There are over a million federal/state prisons. If an education can prevent inmates from committing crimes after they are released then why not initiate a larger program for them? Comments are closed.
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