It is time to get real and make the punishment fit the crime

We live in a country and according to the article I have read in a world where every citizen implores to the political leaders to do something about the rising crime rate. But what can be done about it? Are we, as a society, responsible for it? Is it a result of something deeper?

Basically, the article explains two opposing general positions which a society can take towards crime and criminals. One view says that punishment, usually in the form of long prison sentences, discourage the criminal impulses and persuade them from repeating their offences. Is it not a simple solution? We all know, and the facts support the truth, that after the prison the offender is outside with new tools to commit another crime and with more hatred against the society from which now want revenge.

According to the second position to crime, a society accepts responsibility for creating its criminal elements, and takes steps to rehabilitate and train offenders so that they will no longer feel the impulse to commit crimes. Such a community, will use probation and parole systems helping these people to have a second chance in the society. But Do all of them deserve this opportunity? May I want to see again someone who had destroyed my family on the streets? On the other hand, I know it just does not make sense to place criminals in the adverse social conditions of a prison for the length of their sentence and then expect them to adjust to society outside through a brief period of time at rehabilitation or retraining centre.

I am just part of this society which is longing for a change. I do not know the right solution. But what I am absolutely sure that one important step is to pay special attention to education as the strong basement for this enormous building that is our society. With educated people you include them in a “The social system” (like or not the way it is made). You give the opportunity to that person to try to get a place in the group he belongs to. This is the first step before thinking of harder second chances, before we have tears in our eyes.

Pedro