What Is the Punishment for Crimes?

Punishment is any fine, confinement in jail or prison, or other penalty provided by law and imposed by the court. Punishment is supposed to be a deterrent to crime. It is supposed to instill a sense of fear in a would-be criminal. Fear is undoubtedly a strong emotion. However, its efficacy in crime prevention is doubtful. The fact that many "career criminals" are arrested repeatedly indicates that the penal system is far from perfect.

Most states of the United States have capital punishment, while most European industrialized countries have abolished death penalty. Yet, the US has a murder rate about three times as high as most of Europe. If fear of death penalty is not sufficient to prevent murders, the argument about fear preventing crime cannot stand. Deterrent theory of punishment has often been used to justify harsh punishments, even though there is sufficient body of evidence to show that harsher punishments do not, in the long term, lead to reduction in crime. On the contrary, harsh punishments induce a brutal mindset in the society, leading to increased crime rate.

The other popular theory of punishment is retributive. The retributive notion of punishment in general is that (a) as a foundational matter of justice, criminals deserve punishment, and (b) punishment should be equal to the harm done. In determining what counts as "punishment equal to harm," theorists further distinguish between two types of retributive punishment. First type ofretribution involves punishment in kind and is commonly expressed in the expression "an eye for an eye." Second type of retribution involves punishment through compensation, and the harm inflicted can be repaired by payment or atonement. The retributive theory is based on the psychological theory of revenge.

Criminal statutes ordinarily set maximum limits for punishment but give a judge freedom in determining the appropriate punishment within those limits. A court may impose and then suspend punishment, subject to the good behavior of the guilty party, who may be placed on probation for a prescribed period of time. Probation is a type of punishment, which allows the convicted person to avoid confinement and to remain in community under the supervision of a probation officer. Specific conditions are usually attached to probation. They may include keeping a job, avoiding certain companions and meeting places, and not leaving the area. A defendant who violates the probation terms may have the probation and suspended sentence revoked at a court hearing and then be sent to jail or prison.

Sometimes a convict serving his time in prison may be released early on parole because of good behavior and evidence of rehabilitation. The decision is made by a parole board and may be revoked if specified conditions are violated. These conditions generally include periodically reporting to a parole officer and avoiding any criminal activity.

Cлова к тексту 3:

1. a deterrent [dɪˊterənt] - сдерживающий фактор

2. to instill - внушать

3. efficacy [ˊefɪkəsɪ] - эффективность, действенность

4. to abolish [əˊbɔlɪʃ] - отменять

5. to justify [ˊʤʌstɪfaɪ] - находить оправдание, объяснять

6. a reduction [rɪˊdʌkʃən] - сокращение

7. to induce [ɪnˊdju:s] - вызывать, стимулировать

8. a mindset - умонастроение

9. retributive [rɪˊtrɪbjutɪv] - карательный, карающий

10. atonement [əˊtəunmənt] - возмещение, компенсация

11. revenge [rɪˊvenʤ] - месть

12. to suspend [səsˊpend] - приостанавливать, откладывать

13. probation - условное осуждение (под надзор)

14. supervision [ˏsju:pəˊvɪʒən] - надзор, наблюдение

15. to attach [əˊtæʧ] - прилагать

16. to revoke [rɪˊvəuk] - отменять, аннулировать

17. parole [pəˊrəul] - условно-досрочное освобождение

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