Sunday, November 14, 2010
Public Execution
One form of Puritan punishment was being placed in the pillory. This public display of humiliation was believed to provide enough ridicule to hinder a person to commit crimes. Public executions were also preformed during the Puritan era. Do you think that public executions would minimize the number of crimes that are committed today if we practiced his method of administering justice?
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While I do not necessarily agree with such a brutal act of punishment, I do believe that public executions would minimize the number of crimes that are committed today. The bottom line is fear. Fear is a powerful emotion that can cause people to do or in this case not do very srious things. Fear drives actions. Public execution is the worst form of punishment...there are no second chances, no mild repurcussions, no mercy. You pay for what you have done. This type of punishment would scare wrongdoers and quite possibly force them not to commit any more crimes. Today, people pay fines, go to jial, etc. While these things can be very serious and impactful, many times people get out of them, or once there sentence is done go back to doing the same things they always have done. I think public execution would show the world that crimes are not a normality that can be looked over. They present grave and dangerous situations and require severe punishment.
ReplyDeleteYes I believe that public ridicule and executions would greatly minimize the number of crimes that are committed today. When the population witnesses what could happen to them if they committed a crime it would most likely frighten them from going through with one. I think public authorities could use these forms of punishment to make cities safer.
ReplyDeletei think that having public executions would cut down a lot on bad crimes. Murders would see what happens if they kill and get caught and would be afraid to murder people. The public ridicule isn't a big deal because they could blow that off like Hester.
ReplyDeletePublic display of punishment would reduce the number of bad things that happen in todays society. Not only is getting caught bad, but they have to stand in front of everyone and be ridiculed for it. So yes it would be an effective way to punish someone.
ReplyDeleteI think the crime would be reduced but it would be messed up if you punished someone publicly
ReplyDeleteI think public executions would cut down on crimes by a lot. By witnessing others being executed, it would cause fear of committing a crime and receiving the same punishment.
ReplyDeleteYes, I do think public execution would limit the amount of crimes that are committed today. It seems that in today's world, we stress more on what people think of us rather than doing things for personal satisfaction. This is true especially in High School, we have cliques and were always following the crowd, it doesn't matter who you are. This runs throughout our community, with our parents, teachers, pastors, and with our government. I feel that today's average American has forgotten, exactly why we are "the land of the free, and the home of the brave". It has become a national mentality to think more like "the land of the back-stabbers, and the home of do-anything-it-takes-to-get-ahead." If were were publicly executed rather than in silent court rooms, people wouldn't want to ruin their reputation by committing a "crime." People today would try so hard to make sure that their name is cleared at all costs. Now, in saying this I am not condemning anyone who acts this way, because I know I do it to. Its just the way that society has become. People are fighting for what they want, and sometimes overlooking the people they have hurt, just like in Hester Prynne's case. She fell in love with a man, but failed to realize what she might be doing to her own family, and husband. She didn't think. Maybe if people were condemned, and executed in person more often people would be more inclined to think.
ReplyDeleteI think that while having a public display of execution would hinder crimes somewhat, there will always be people willing to cheat the law because they think that they will not get caught. Some people may still commit the crime and still have no remorse or shame about it.
ReplyDeleteAlthough public execution in today's society is inhumane but it would deter some crime as people will do anything to save their dignity. It wouldn't be very effective because those who kill are usually in anger and do not think of the consequences. It would deter crime but not effectively and wouldn't be a personal Choice of Mine.
ReplyDeletePerhaps by a certain amount, but it probably wouldn't work in all cases. Like say the person is criminally insane, he's probably just going to either be indifferent to it or it's going to add to his insanity. Plus the criminals themselves, while they would serve as an influence not to do crime, might somehow scar some children. So while crime might be reduced, when those kids grow up they might think the world is an unsafe place, or something like that.
ReplyDeleteI do think that the number of crimes would be greatly minimized if we practiced public executions. People would commit less crimes in fear of the punishment they will receive or when they see others getting punished they will be scared of the same thing happening to them. But I do not believe that, that form of punishment is in any way the right way to punish someone despite the crime the person has committed.
ReplyDeleteI think public punishment would reduce crime greatly but I don't agree with execution in todays time or in their time. Public punishment shows would-be-criminals what they'd face if they followed through with their crimes because today's jails are nicer than home for some people so it sometimes isnt a good "punishment."
ReplyDeleteYes i think it would greatly reduce crimes in cities, but, not all of them. Because some of the people who murder others, or do something worth an execution, don't care if they die, So it still leaves some people committing crimes.
ReplyDeleteI think public punishment would definitely reduce if public humiliation was induced upon the criminals. Execution on the other hand isn't exactly right no matter what time period you are in. Looking back to the Salem Witch Trials, execution only brought revolt and doubt to the people who lived there. Today, execution is looked down upon in most cases, with the exception of terrible events like 9/11 or other terrorist attacks.
ReplyDeletei think in todays world if we used public executions people would be less likely to commit big crimes due to the embarrassment of public humiliation they would face.
ReplyDeleteI think it depends on the person. Some people may be affected by this while others may continue to do the same thing. It could reduce the amount of crimes but I dont think it would be by much.
ReplyDeleteFor me it depends on what the crime was and who the person is. But yes exacuting people in the middle of town would get the message across to people that we mean business; when we don't want people to commit crimes or break the law.
ReplyDeletePublic punishments would probably cut down on crimes. If you're being ridiculed in a public environment with all your family and friends around, you probably won't do whatever you did again. Public executions might also cut down on crime, but there was still plenty of crime when they were popular so it wouldn't matter that much.
ReplyDeletePublic execution wouldn't really cut it down that much because they're just gonna die anyway so i doubt they'd care that much. but public ridicule would because it's just annoying.
ReplyDeleteI think public execution would minimize the number of crimes committed today. It would scare people enough to not do something bad. I don't think it would do much, because it could effect everyone differently, but i do think it will help.
ReplyDeleteYes i think if we practiced a form of public humilitation today it would reduce the number of people comminting crimes. If we were to put people on pillars, it would cut down on the people commiting crimes, but to a certain extent. No on likes to be ridiculed by the public, or wants to live in a town where everyone know the sins you have commited, and be judged by it so cruely. In todays world many people think about their reputation. it has become one of the things people think are most important, and everyone would think more about their actions if we used public humiliation. I think executing people in public would scare the towns people more than standing on a pillar, and less people would commit crimes. But it also depends on the crime comitted, some poeple just dont care if they die, for excample they would really want a person to die so they would commint murder and not care to be executed. Although these type of punishments could most likely reduce the number of crimes, I dont think executions are a right way of punishment, and dont think they should be practiced.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I would like to point out that you spelled this* wrong in your post mrs.juck. About the criteria, you have brought up about the different styles of punishment we should do in modern time, i think that the consequence of their action being public death would scare most people into submission to not do these crimes. Their are some people however, who would still commit this crime without acknowledge the afterward accurance.
ReplyDeletei definitely think having public executions would cut down the crime rate. no one wants to be embarassed or killed in front of a crowd of people and obviously witnessing an execution would put fear into the people to not break the law
ReplyDeletePublicly executing someone would be considered inhumane to the person in question, as well as the person's family. Their entire family disgraced before the entire community because of one person. I think that it would most definitely discourage many people, but in order for that threat to be taken seriously, it must be acted upon quite a few times before the people of this day and age will take it seriously. What happens to those who are executed, as well as all of those who are associated with them, would be the after affect that would really scare people. I think that if the death penalty was to be acted upon, it must be done in private in the jail or wherever the perpetrator was housed so that only the family and those associated properly would have to know about it. The select few of those who would also know would be the people that the person had harmed, the guards on duty and the family. If we decided to use public humiliation against wrong doers, then i believe that it would be beneficial for those who care about their own reputations. Not every pain has to be physical.
ReplyDeleteI believe that these forms of punishment will not lower the crime rate. In Today's society most people are oblivious to other people's problems and humiliations. People that perform evil enough deeds to deserve the death sentence such as serial killers are sociopaths and don't have emotions. Therefore they won't second guess the crimes they committ by seeing someone receive a public execution.
ReplyDeleteI think this statement is true and false. Public excution would be lower crime rate becasue if other people see what they hvae to go through, like being ridiculed, then they will have a more understanding of what the punishment is for the crime. I this this statement is false because for some of the people who commit crimes want it to be known that they did do it. Some crimes are maybe not good in ones eyes, but there was a reason for doing it in someone elses eyes. Therefore, if a person wanted it known that they killed someone THEY thought was bad, they would have more of a chance of doing it if they know it would be seen by everyone that there glad they did it.
ReplyDeletePublic execution would definitly conjure up fear in anyone who was thinking about committing a crime. I don't necessarily agree with public execution but it would decrease the crime rates, especially in today's society.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the effect of public execution depends on the individual. Some people may not acknowledge it due to them being unable to comprehend the death that just took place. On the other hand, there are people who after being a witness to a public execution would never even think to commit a crime regardless the cost.
ReplyDeleteWell if public execution and humiliation was used in todays society, i believe this would cut down crimes but i would not support it because it is unconstitutional.Public execution would scare a lot of people and would cause great fear throughout the U.S.
ReplyDeleteI think there would be a dearth of crimes committed. (Like OMG there is a lack of water in this water bottle!)Especially if they made public executions for small crimes,like J walking. hahahaha that would be so ridiculous if people were executed for tiny crimes. Thinking about this reminds me of the bridge of death from monty python and the holy grail where people are killed for small mistakes.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily think that incorporating public forms of punishment into today's society would stop any potential crimes. Rarely do people consider the consequences of their actions when they are blinded by what is motivating them to commit such a crime.
ReplyDeleteYes, I believe it would decrease crime activity greatly if people were punished publicly. The people watching would become fearful of the fact that if they committed a crime, they too would be publicly punished and humiliated.
ReplyDeleteOf course public executions would with out a doubt cut down the amount of crimes today. Today, punishments are wayyyyy to small!! If there were public executions there would be second thoughts in a criminal's mind. But today, criminals know that won't happen and their punishment might not even be that harsh, may influence them in a way to do something bad.
ReplyDeleteNo I do not believe that public executions will minimize the number of crimes commited. Because of the internet and television we do not have a lot of privacy today anyway. All executions are basically public. Besides, I believe people that have been convicted of a crime that they actually commited do not care that much about the publics opinion or else they may not have commited it.
ReplyDeleteNo i don't think it would stop many of the crimes today because people who commit crimes don't think about the consequences in the first place.
ReplyDeleteYes i do think it would hinder the amount of crime that would happen the the world, though it would be inhumane and cruel i think it would be effective. But i do think we should have a more harsh "fist of Justice".
ReplyDeleteI don't think this method would still be effective. People have developed more pride, and a lot of people don't care if others think bad of them. Also, I think people would not be as excited to stand and watch a person that has done something bad, people have better things to do today.
ReplyDeleteno i dont think public humiliation or execution would work because now a days people who commit crimes dont think or care aboout consequences and only commit crimes for the joy of it and for their own benefit.
ReplyDeleteI think crime would stop or people would be sneakier in their crimes.
ReplyDeletePublic executions would help minimize crime because then people would be more aware of the punishments and think twice about what they do.
ReplyDeletePublic executions would minimize the crime rate but only to a certain extent. The idea of of public ridicule would sway some people away from committing the crime but for other people if they want to do something illegal they are going to so it reguardless the punishment
ReplyDeleteI don't think that public executions would minimize the crime rate that much, or even at all. Most people who are willing to commit the crime, most likely don't care what other people say or think of them so they wouldn't be that embarrassed by it.
ReplyDeleteWell it depends really on the person themselves. some people who are sent to jail learn their lesson and never return while others continually come and go throughout their lives. All of them know that they might be sentensed to life without probation or even death but that doesn't stop them. Public executions would deffinatley scare some people into behaving but it might not effect others. They know the punishment for their actions...they choose to ignore the possibilities of later punishment.
ReplyDeletePublic ridicule would be pretty bad if it is a small crime and for a bigger crime one would go to jail. I think if a public ridicule was to be carried out, It would either be too little punishment or too much..
ReplyDeletePublic executions were probably a fun way to spend time back then but now we are are too civilized and that would probably be too disturbed by it. A death is a death either in public or private it doesn't matter so making one public wouldn't really reduce crime or anything.
I think that if we still had public executions today, the crime rate would drop dramatically. People wouldn't want to commit crimes because of the public ridicule by friends family and others. They would also be more afraid to commit crimes because they would be more terrified of the punishment when they saw it and therefore wouldn't want that to be them up there receiving the punishment.
ReplyDeleteYes i do think that public executions would decrease the crime rate because it would obviously put fear into all of the witnessing citizens and people would be too terrified to commit crimes. No one likes to be publicly humiliated. but at the same time public execution is too inhumane for this time period.
ReplyDeleteI think if we had public executions today there would be less crimes committed because people would be scared of being embarrassed and ridiculed in front of everyone. Obviously public executions wouldn't stop crime completely, but it would definitely help.
ReplyDeleteIn todays society people commite crimes beacause they want to!!!!!! People know the punishment if they get cuaght. I think if public execution was insisted in today's society i think poeple would still commit crimes. And people have no life if they want to satnd around and look at a person on a scaffold.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I don't believe that public executions would decrease the crime rate. I believe that people already have it in their minds that they want to do something. If they see an execution it wouldn't change it. Some people want to die in today's society. This would increase the crime, because there are a lot of suicidal people in America. They now see that they could do something bad and still get what they want, Death.
ReplyDeletethat last one starting with "Personally" was me
ReplyDeleteI think that public executions would in fact lower crime rates. Nobody wants to be put on a golden pedestal when they are being killed, it's basically like announcing your sins without saying one word. If I personally was to commit a crime in today's society it wouldn't be nearly as bad as back in the old days. If I was Hester, I deffinatley would of thought twice before cheating and commiting adultrey.
ReplyDeleteAlso this educational video should be seen by all to learn of the effects of public humiliation
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uR9z7QwnZ1A
I think that public executions would lower crime rates, but I don't think it should be applied to small crimes. Public executions would cause a lot of fear, instead of how things
ReplyDeleteare handled now. Even with this method of punishment the world still wouldn't be perfect.
If we used this method today, there would be less crimes commited. People don't want to be punished so they will not do anything because they will be too scared. People today are much more bothered by public humiliation than people back then, so they will not want to get in trouble.
ReplyDeleteI do not think that will minimize it. we already have the death penalty and that doesn't stop people.And even so with some death sentences-i don't know about now but- I know people USED to be able to watch a person be electrocuted to death or injected. and that's semi-public. so i don't think it will minimize crime.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that public executions would minimize the number of crimes that are committed today if we practiced his method of administering justice.
ReplyDeleteMost of the people don't think about the consequences when they commit a crime, whether they have to go to jail or die for it. Killing someone is never the right solution. How could a state demonstrate that a certain crime is wrong by committing the same crime?
Absolutely! Public execution would put fear into many of the citizens in today's society because they would see the direct consequence of their crime would be. Although, on the other hand, it would be entirely inhuman and many people would be opposed to it just because it would be sort of regressing back to this Puritan era which many people are against in the United States.
ReplyDeletePffft! Yeah right! If you think that public executions would diminish the number of crimes, then you are mistaken.
ReplyDeleteWell, i guess you can consider the wars we've had in the past and the present as public executions, seeing that most people are literally shot on the spot in front of people...
But to be honest with you I don't think it would do much good, considering the amount of bloodlust we possess.
;D
Its useless to try and bring shame to a thief. A thief is shameless giving him attention would not remedy the situation. Kill him on the spot.
ReplyDeleteI think public executions would lower crime rates dramatically.
ReplyDeleteIf a person was sentenced to death, would it really make a difference if they were killed in front of a crowd? Death is death; whether in public or prison.
ReplyDeleteCrime rates solid definetly drop because the people will get scared and stop doing it. Public humiliation is a good example setter for mis fits be ause they will stop as well. I know if I comitted the same crime as the person getting executed did I would become a model citizen
ReplyDeletei believe that it would minimize the number of crimes because no one would want to die for any crime
ReplyDeleteYes because most of the people today are big babies on the inside, so seeing something like that would make them cry and be scared.
ReplyDeleteYes it would minimize the number of crimes because people would be able to understand the punishment and realize all of the consiquences better.
ReplyDeleteYes people will realize all of their consiquences and admit to the crime..STOP! being a coward more people need to be like Hester and just live up to there mistakes..
ReplyDeleteI believe that public executions should be aloud because then people would be afraid to actually commit a crime that would bring this situation up.
ReplyDeletei think the humiliating punishment wouldnt have much of an effect because its actually not that bad of a punishment. if the punishments for crimnes became more serious and actually frightening then i belive the crimes would become more less.
ReplyDeleteI dont think many crimes would drastically stop being commited. But I do beleive a vast number of them will at least be thought about before taken into action.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that public execution would minimize the number of crimes because people know the consequense of their actions already. If they are going to do something illegal they know it already yet they still do it so i dont think that this would change anything.
ReplyDeleteYes I do believe that public execution would minimize the number of crimes depending on what type of execution. There are some ways to execute someone that are very gruesome and if people think that would happen to them, it would lower the crime rate or just make people try harder not to get caught.
ReplyDeleteI do not believe that this form of punishment is ethical but I do believe that it was effective. No one wanted to have to face that kind of horror and no one wants to face public humiliation. People love to ridicule others and as disturbing as it is, I bet that many many people would go to these public executions.
ReplyDelete