June Tangney's Essay Condemn The Crime, Not The Person

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When an individual commits a crime, it is often discussed as to whether or not a jail or prison sentence or a punishment such as community service would be a good consequence. Others deem that public humiliation would be the perfect punishment for these crimes. In the essay “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person” by June Tangney, she argues against the use of public humiliation as a way of punishing against crimes committed. Of all of the different options for punishment available today, I believe that public humiliation is not an appropriate form of punishment and less severe punishments are the appropriate consequences for individuals who have committed crimes.
There are multiple negative consequences of using public humiliation as a form of …show more content…

Punishment that makes a person feel guilty normally involves feelings of remorse for the crime committed or regret of making the bad decisions. Tangney (2001) states that “research has shown that this sense of tension and regret typically motivates reparative action…without engendering all the defensive and retaliative responses that are the hallmark of shame” (para. 11). If individuals that have committed a crime are subject to punishments that are less extensive than jail time, for example, then they may actually want to change their behavior and not make the same mistakes in the future. For example, a drunk driver might understand just how devastating accidents can be if they are forced to visit the sites of accidents and pick up the debris from the streets and surrounding area. Visiting these accident sites would open their eyes to the potential they could cause if they were to drive under the influence. Additionally, forcing those who have committed crimes to feel a sense of guilt will help an individual not feel like they are a bad person. Tangney (2001) talked about how allowing for individuals to feel guilty about their actions makes them want to work harder to improve their lifestyles so they do not repeat the crime in the future. If they know that they do not have to work on improving their whole selves, but only a behavior that they exhibit frequently, they will have the motivation to better themselves for not only their own personal growth, but for the growth of the relationships that they have with their families and

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