In South Carolina, a young mother, Susan Smith, killed her two children by leaving them in a car that she rolled into a lake. She was sentenced to 30 years in prison. What are the four justifications for why we punished Susan Smith? Discuss
What will be an ideal response?
There are four justifications for why we punish. They are retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation. Retribution is often seen as an "eye for an eye" system of justice. It focuses on the past. The more serious the crime, the more serious the punishment. Incapacitation aims to prevent further criminal behavior by physically restraining the offender from engaging in future misconduct. In the U.S., we incapacitate by locking people up in prison. Deterrence aims at preventing crime through the example of the offender being punished. General deterrence is directed at preventing crime among others in society; not the offender. Specific deterrence, on the other hand, hopes to prevent future crimes by the offender. Rehabilitation is also known as reformation. This justification sees criminal behavior as a consequence of social/psychological shortcomings. The purpose of the sentence is to correct or treat these shortcomings in order to prevent future crimes.
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The Supreme Court has held that convictions which rest upon confessions shown to have been extorted is a violation of the due process of law required by ________ and must be reversed
A) 1st Amendment B) 4th Amendment C) 5th Amendment D) 14th Amendment
Explain the policy considerations behind privileges and the basic rules on how they operate
What will be an ideal response?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) bars the hiring of employees who have used marijuana in the past ________ years.
A) two B) three C) five D) ten
What amendment seeks to prevent the government from illegal search and seizure?
a. The First Amendment b. The Fourth Amendment c. The Fifth Amendment d. The Sixth Amendment