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Should we chop hands off?
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Ooperlooper


Posts: 104
Joined: Jun 2006
Post: #1
03-12-2007 12:59 AM

We've all heard that in some countries, if you get caught stealing you'll have a hand cut off as a punishment. I also remember hearing that in some culture or cultures in the past, a similar punishment would be branding the name of the crime on a visible part of the criminal's body.

I've never come across anyone who thinks these are a good idea, and indeed I think losing a hand it might be a bit harsh for nicking a few sweets or a loaf of bread, but recently I've been wondering whether such a punishment is indeed such a bad thing for certain crimes.

It seems to me that there would be a number of advantages to such a punishment:
- Eases overcrowding in prisons (which is where criminals who are a real danger to society, such as murderers, ought to be kept)
- Avoids the guilty person being put in prison where he/she will associate with other criminals
- Much cheaper for the tax payer than putting them in prison
- Person can continue to work, in fact continuing to pay tax rather than costing it
- Person is not taken away from their family, so the family does not suffer for the individual's crime
- Visibility of the amputation, branding, etc may act as a good deterrent for other people

And I don't see how such a physical punishment is any more barbaric than the psychological punishment of jail.

I'm interested to know other people's thoughts on this.

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Messages In This Topic
Should we chop hands off? - Ooperlooper - 03-12-2007 12:59 AM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - Johnc - 03-12-2007, 07:27 AM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - roz - 03-12-2007, 08:40 AM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - millesens - 03-12-2007, 11:44 AM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - Sherwood - 03-12-2007, 12:10 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - roz - 03-12-2007, 06:18 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - baggydave - 03-12-2007, 08:27 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - baggydave - 03-12-2007, 08:46 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - Perryman - 04-12-2007, 01:53 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - SANDY67 - 07-12-2007, 02:44 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - Sherwood - 08-12-2007, 12:59 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - Sherwood - 09-12-2007, 11:57 AM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - roz - 09-12-2007, 05:40 PM
RE: Should we chop hands off? - doc - 09-12-2007, 05:57 PM