Shaming Offenders Essay - 654 Words

Shaming Offenders The shaming of offenders has been in existence since the late 18th century. It was a form of corrections that was used to serve justice by offenders who had committed criminal acts. Offenders who had committed crimes against person or property were likely to be handed a sentence of shaming. In lieu of serving a sentence in a cell or incapacitated place, an offender could be sentenced to some degree of public punishment that would attempt to reform the offender and help him see the error of his ways. Popular methods of late 18th century shaming included the whipping post, the pillory, stocks, branding, banishment, the dunking stool, and the use of the brank. All of these devices were used to demonstrate public†¦show more content†¦But an offender must feel some effect from the shaming process in order for it to be functional. According to Douglas Litowitz and his article Shaming Offenders, any for of public humiliation serves all four goals of corrections consecutively. The rehabilitation process is met by the admission of the offenders guilt. Restitution is achieved by having the offender publicly apologize for the wrong doings that have been committed against the general public. The goal of deterrence is met by the humiliation of the shameful act that must be performed by the offender. Protection of the public is made visible to all in society by the shameful act being visible to all those around. If the shaming of an offender carries out one of the four purposes listed above, then it has done its job. Or has it? There are many people out there that feel that shaming does not help reduce crime and the recidivism rates of criminals. In the Litowitz reading, it says that the shaming of an offender will only work if the offender knows what shame is. It is a case of a person possessing the concept and emotion of shame. Those who have it or know what it brings can be deterred from the shaming experience. But for those who are foreign to shame, the proces s of shaming is of little to no use. Offenders who do not know what shame is are more likely to exhibit ulterior emotions such asShow MoreRelatedThe Criminal Justice System Deals With The Risk And Management Of Sex Offenders2679 Words   |  11 Pagesways in which the criminal justice system deals with the risk and management of sex offenders. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), from December 2013 to December 2014, the amount of recorded sexual offences has risen by 32 percent to 80,262 for England and Wales (ONS, 2015:13). The most serious cases of sex offending will result in a custodial sentence. 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