fandomhigh | Friday Ethics Class, 8-10am

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Friday Ethics Class, 8-10am

Tara's eyes are shadowed as she greets the class, tension permeating her body.

"I'm sure you've all heard the announcement by now. Angelus has been accused of killing Kitty Pryde - which leaves us short one TA, but up an interesting Ethical question.

"Today we're going to discuss punishment for crimes done."

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"Okay, here's your discussion topic: pick a class of punishment, and by that I mean corporal, capital, imprisonment, fines, behavioural rehabilitation.

"What are the ethical issues surrounding this style of punishment? In what circumstances is it appropriate?"

(defined: physical abuse, such as caning or cutting off a hand)

"Corporal punishment is a good idea, but forget caning. Explosions, preferably from my own hands, are the best punishment, especially if it inflicts physical pain," Piper said, not caring how crazy she sounded. She was angry and wasn't trying to hide it.

Phoebe's head jerked up at the anger in her older sister's voice and was confused by it. She went into a coughing fit before she could ask about it, though.

Parke blinks. "Whoa. Allright. All in favor of *not* making Piper Halliwell the warden at a prison, say aye."

Rory tilts her head at Piper appraisingly.

"I agree," she murmurs. "Though I can't imagine I can inflict a whole lot of damage myself."

"Well, that's fine in theory, but in practice?" Callisto speaks in a level tone "Seeing the results of that kind of punishment, for example a lashing, can be bad enough, but when you were the one responsible it?"

(defined: killing in punishment for a crime)

Faith half-sighed. "Corporal punishment is a good idea, like, the idea of it. Because sometimes, people can't be fixed, and they're just going to keep hurting others. But sometimes, the person will like, get better. And not do whatever they were doing anymore. So, I mean, you shouldn't kill them."

Faith thought for a moment. "Plus, like, sometimes- not a lot, I bed, but I've heard of it happening- you get the wrong guy. And then they kill him, and it's like 'oh, oops!', but there's nothing they can do. So it's dumb."

I think capital punishment should be eliminated. The mentally ill, poor, and racial minorities are over-represented among those executed. It also has not been proven to be an effective deterrent, is more expensive than keeping someone jailed, and I think it unnecessarily further traumatizes another community - the loved ones of the criminal. And I'm not a Christian, but you can find support for an anti-death penalty stance from the gospels if you want to, just like you can find justification for anything in the Bible.

(defined: jail sentences, for example)

Parker keeps her eyes to the front, and the whiteboard, as she articulates her thoughts.

"Imprisonment should only be used to keep the more dangerous elements of society away from the rest of the population. That said, it's often over-used because we have no other non-lethal, non-physical form of punishment for those guilty of non-violent crimes; burglary and theft, for instance. Because we lack the imagination to punish these types of criminals in another way, we lock them up, in order to fulfill society's need for 'payback'." She sighs. "Unfortunately, this means that criminals are all housed together, and either have the opportunity to learn more illegal skills, or must deal with the more violent elements in an enclosed space."

(defined: money can buy just about anything)

"Well, if you're one of the people that can afford to pay the fines, it rocks, because you do something wrong, fork over some cash and it's all taken care of. I can get behind that."

Parker grins, and studies her Mahnolo Blahniks.

Quinn admires the Mahnolo Blahniks, and makes a point to get her dad's new credit card number.

(defined: personality alteration by means of counselling, memory wipes, hypnosis, etc.)

"Isn't personality alteration done against someone's will taking away their free will? Counseling's one thing. A unwanted memory wipe is entirely different."

"I'm with him. It's creepy."

"I have to admit, I hate agreeing with Bel, but I do. They can't learn if they can't remember; and while hypnosis should help someone cope with urges to smoke, or eat, or maybe lose their temper, the extreme stuff is entirely too open to abuse."

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

demonbelthazor - 2005-11-18 19:59 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

mparkerceo.livejournal.com - 2005-11-18 20:01 (UTC) - Expand

"Memory wipes... I don't know... is that really a punishment?" Shane says, brows wrinkling.

"I just mean... if... if they take away the memories of the crime that a person committed, or... take out all the stuff that made them the kind of person that could do what they did in the first place... it doesn't make a difference, because there's still the people that person hurt. They still remember what was done to them, even if the criminal doesn't, anymore. It seems... more like a punishment to the victims or their families rather than the guy who did it."

Beka listened to the discussion topics with growing anger.

"Want to lock me up and throw away the key? Fine. That's awful enough, but at least I can plan my escape. Want to kill me? Fine. At least it's over. But maim me, physically or mentally? Make me less than I am? Barbaric.

"Big damned difference between going to see Crane because you need to talk and someone else sticking some new software in your head."

(defined: anything not covered by the others)

Phoebe mutters something about vanquishing.

"That would be capital punishment, Phoebe," Tara replies. "Vanquishing is just a polite way of saying killing, isn't it?"

Friday Ethics Class, 8-10am

First Hour

Corporate Punishment

Re: Corporate Punishment

Re: Corporate Punishment

Re: Corporate Punishment

Re: Corporate Punishment

Re: Corporate Punishment

Capital Punishment

Re: Capital Punishment

Re: Capital Punishment

Imprisonment

Re: Imprisonment

Fines

Re: Fines

Re: Fines

Re: Fines

Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Re: Behavioural rehabilitation

Other

Re: Other

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