Week 3 Question

Chapter 5:  

Explain the philosophy of deterrence and ethics associated with punishment.  Describe how utilitarianism is related to punishment.

Also below I included an example of another students answer. 

Chapter 5

“Both the philosophy of deterrence and the ethics linked with punishment are two concepts strongly related to one another and need to be comprehended to achieve a deeper level of comprehension about the administration of criminal justice. While ethics examines whether or not there is a moral justification for punishing someone for their acts, deterrence examines how punishment might discourage people from engaging in criminal behavior. Utilitarianism and the concept of punishment are inextricably linked because both investigate the effects of an individual’s behavior in terms of how it will influence society (Mulgan 2019). In this post, I will talk about the philosophy of deterrence, the ethics involved with punishment, and the connection between utilitarianism and punishment.

The philosophy of deterrence examines how the possibility of punishment might be utilized to dissuade individuals from engaging in illegal behavior. Cesare Beccaria is credited with being the one who initially created this notion. He proposed that individuals should be punished in a manner proportional to the offence they have committed (Canto, 2017). In addition, he claimed that for the penalty to be an effective kind of dissuasion, it must be both prompt and unwavering. As a result of the widespread belief that the possibility of being punished deters some people from engaging in illegal behavior, this notion has been adopted by many criminal justice systems located all over the world.

The ethics associated with punishment examines whether or not there is a moral justification for punishing someone for the actions they have committed. It is common for people to believe that punishment is a means of bringing justice to those who have been harmed, yet, it can be challenging to reconcile this notion with the concept that someone is being punished for something they may not have done (Canto, 2017). This raises problems regarding the morality of punishing someone who may not have been guilty of a crime and whether or not punishment can be viewed as an appropriate method of delivering justice. In addition, this raises questions about whether or not punishment can be seen as an appropriate way of providing justice.

Utilitarianism and the concept of punishment are inextricably linked because both investigate the effects of an individual’s behavior in terms of how it will influence society (Mulgan 2019). A course of action ought to be evaluated according to how it will affect the greatest number of people, according to utilitarian philosophy (Mulgan 2019). This can be used for the concept of punishment, as it considers the effects that punishing someone will have on people who are in their immediate environment (Canto, 2017). Utilitarianism contends, in addition, that punishments should be appropriate to the severity of the offences committed and that they ought to serve as a deterrent to criminal behavior in the foreseeable future.

In conclusion, the philosophy of deterrence and the ethics connected with punishment are closely related concepts that must be understood to understand the criminal justice system better. Utilitarianism and the concept of punishment are inextricably linked due to the fact that both investigate the effects of an individual’s behavior in terms of how it will influence society as a whole. It is essential to have a firm grasp of these ideas to arrive at well-informed conclusions regarding the application of punishment and its results for society. 

Reference

Canton Bob. (2017). Why Punish? An Introduction to the Philosophy of Punishment 1st ed. ISBN: 9781137449023

Mulgan, T. (2019). Utilitarianism. Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/elements/abs/utilitarianism/E26CF2563F125BAF2AAE5049268505E0Links to an external site.