Week 6 Discussion Post 9

Crime, Prison, and other Forms of Punishment

  In America today, the prison system is expensive and largely

broken.Those who commit crimes are likely to be “trained” to commit

more crimes in a prison environment.1Though the prison system is meant

to be a system of justice, it is largely an unjust system.This is described

by McQuilkin and Copan as “unequal punishment.”2They describe a man

who killed another in revenge, a businessman who had kissed his

secretary (five years prior to the trial), and a couple of drunk Japanese

teenagers who captured and roasted a swan that was swimming in front

of the imperial palace.3Despite the great difference in the severity of the

crimes committed, all the above situations received the same

punishment, four years in prison.4They then go on to describe a woman

who drowned her child and only received two years in prison (with an

early pardon).5This unbalance in crime and punishment is unjust and

should concern Christians who desire to see justice.

  In many precincts, drug crimes make up most of the incarcerations.In

Iowa, for example, they anticipate a 52% increase in the percent

population incarcerated, due to increased enforcement on drug

crimes.6Seventy-five percent of those incarcerated in the United States

are non-violent offenders.7It seems that for many of these people, their

incarceration is above and beyond what is needed for “justice,” and that

spending time in prison only increases their likelihood of committing

future crimes.What other options are there for punishment other than

the current prison system?

  One suggestion McQuilkin and Copan suggest is an increased use of

fining for non-violent criminals.8Fining is much cheaper than

incarceration, and by using fines, money can be raised to repay those who

suffered loss on account of the criminal’s behavior.Additionally, fining

has the benefit of keeping nonviolent criminals out of the prison where

they may be subject to abuse or build relationships that lead them into

further crimes.9 McQuilkin and Copan mention corporal punishment not

likely being an option in the near future because of a lack of cultural

acceptability.10One wonders, however, if for some crimes, criminals were

given a choice between thirty days in prison or thirty lashes with whips,

how many would choose the corporal punishment far and above the

prison time.I posit that corporal punishment would be more preferable to

criminals, more effective at getting them to change their behavior, and be

far cheaper than prison.People often reject corporal punishment as being

inhumane, but if prisoners were given a choice between corporal

punishment and prison, and they pick corporal punishment, it’s hard to

imagine how one could argue the prison system is more humane than

corporal punishment.

                                                     

  1J Robertson McQuilkin and Paul Copan,An Introduction to Biblical Ethics:

Walking in the Way of Wisdom(Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press,

2014), 437.

  2Ibid., 435.

  3Ibid., 435-436.

  4Ibid.

  5Ibid.

  6Jenniffer Harry, “Iowa Prisons Filling as Drug Crimes

Increase,”Corrections Compendium26, no. 12 (2001): 7.

  7McQuilkin,Introduction Biblical Ethics, 437.

  8Ibid.

  9Ibid.

  10Ibid.



Bibliography

Harry, Jenniffer. “Iowa Prisons Filling as Drug Crimes

Increase.”Corrections Compendium26,no. 12 (2001): 7.

McQuilkin, J Robertson, and Paul Copan.An Introduction to Biblical Ethics:

Walking in the Wayof Wisdom. Downers Grove, Il: InterVarsity Press,

2014.

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