Crime:Punishment & PreventionIntroduction
In this seminar, you will play the role of a United States Senator, working with your fellow senators to resolve the last controversial amendment to a comprehensive juvenile justice bill. The amendment addresses the two key issues - prevention and punishment - that shape the debate on what to do about the problem of juvenile crime. On the one hand, there are many who argue that society is not doing enough to properly punish young people who commit crimes. What is a "proper" punishment, though? When should a young person be tried in court as a juvenile, and when should he or she be tried as an adult? Should the nature of the crime committed or the age of the offender influence that decision, and to what degree? For those people found delinquent or guilty by the courts, what sort of sentence is most appropriate - prison, a treatment facility, probation, or some combination? On the other hand, there are many who argue that we will never be able to eliminate or greatly reduce juvenile crime until we adequately address the underlying causes of crime. In other words, these people believe that society should focus more attention on prevention programs that keep young people from engaging in criminal activity in the first place. Prevention and punishment are not incompatible concepts. Indeed, it is hard to envision a system that focuses solely on one and not the other. For that reason, the legislation you will consider today includes the provisions relating to both sides of the debate. On first read, it may seem as though your decision to support or oppose the amendment is simple. You will learn, however, that there is more than one side to each issue and many things to consider before passing judgement. At the end of the discussion, you will cast an all-or-nothing vote for or against the amendment. |
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