You have just completed your unit study on the legal systems and criminal law of the United States. Give some insights on why our justice system today isn't as effective or harsh as thousands of years ago? It seems like we have so many repeating crimes now compared to the early Babylonian times. If our law system is more assertive as Hammurabi's Code, do you think our society would be more orderly and controlled?
Why do you think we've become more lenient over the years?
If you are unfamiliar with Hammurabi Law Code, please click on the Wikipedia link to read more.
I personally believe we have been too lenient on convicted criminals. There are people who commit murder and are FOUND GUILTY, but they get of on bail the next day, or they get out early for 'good behavior' in a few years only to commit the crime again. Im not agreeing with the Code of Hammurabi, but I do believe that we should adopt a somewhat harsher form of treating criminals. We became too lenient when people decided that all men are created equal, lets face the truth, no one is created equal. Someone is always smarter, stronger, faster, more talented, and will beat you. Theres no way that someone like Bill Gates is equal to someone working at Mc Donalds. There is no way that a law abiding citizen, like someone in our class (hopefully), is equal to someone who murdered a family and set fire to their house. Its plain and simple.
ReplyDeleteCriminals are getting too many chances to be free again. I think an eye for an eye is perfectly fine if the person did the crime with intent. People would actually think about it before they do it. For a crime, such as murder, if they are convicted, they should be given the death penalty. If they kill someone, they should also be killed. Also, it would reduce the prison numbers and we wouldn't have this over population problem.
ReplyDeleteAs societal civilization developed, so did a sense of humanity and empathy. Human rights became a subject of prominence and the concept of personal liberties evoked strong reactions within the "trodden" population. In complying with individual rights, laws must be more lenient and "fair." Yes, I definitely agree that society would become more orderly if the "eye for an eye" rule was to be put into practice, but such extreme punishment for petty crimes, as there were in ancient times, is not fair nor does it foster a humane society. The increase in crime is the price people pay in order to keep their rights in tact.
ReplyDeleteI do think our society has become more lenient and I don't exactly agree with it. I don't agree with the Hammurabi's Code either though. That does seem a little harsh. Someone who commits murder though doesn't deserve to walk free. Punishments should be rougher than a few years in jail, then probation. When criminals are off probation or out of jail, they are more likely to repeat crimes. We have become lenient because more and more crimes are being committed though. People also fight for equality more and hate violence.
ReplyDeleteI think that Hammurabi's Code was too harsh. It basically ruled that if you killed someone, you were killed. If you stole something, your hand was cut off. The Hammurabi Code's punishments used violence instead of simply sentencing the criminal to prison or charging them with fines. I think we have become more lenient over the years because more and more crimes are being committed everyday, and we have decided as a society that violent punishments are immoral and unjust. "An eye for an eye only makes the whole world blind."
ReplyDeleteI believe that our justice system is very right in the punishments given to criminals. Today, our society has standards to live by. This being said, nowadays, we believe that "an eye for an eye" is too harse of a punishment in some terms. Years ago, many people were too afraid to speak up about laws seeing how there was no democracy. I think that even though there is crime, it is controlled as best as it can be. I think that we've been pretty good about convicting criminals. Expecially because the goal of our jail system is to rehabilitate.
ReplyDeleteI think our court system needs to be more strict on people being on trial. criminals are getting out too early for things like good behavior. They are too lenient on how people get treated in the court room. if someone is found guilty they need to serve the term they are issued. there should not be any way of getting out of jail any earlier then what they are issued.
ReplyDeleteWe have become more lenient of criminals. I think that after a while the way we thought were punishing people in a non-humane way. If our law system was more strict then our society would be more controlled but not orderly.
ReplyDeleteToday's justice system is incomparable to the ones prior. Crimes are almost impossible to convict and are on the rise nowadays. We seem to second-guess ourselves, as if any conviction could be a "maybe". We over-think everything, and one small hint of doubt throws a case out the door. In some sense, this makes sure that the charge is not put on a person guilty (or lets a criminal go free). If we followed Hammurabi Law Code, crime would decline, however, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. The price you pay for order and control is not necessarily worth it. Leniency is an issue in America. There's no possible way to throw every criminal in jail, there's just no room.
ReplyDeleteI think that are legal system is way to soft on criminals. The reason there are repeat criminals is because when found guilty there punishment is to soft and allows the criminal to think he can get away with repeating the same crime. If the criminal had a harsher punishment he wouldnt think that he could get away with the crime again or might not even get the chance to try again
ReplyDeleteOur justice system today is too lenient, but the Hammurabi's code is too harsh. When criminals are able to walk free they are most likely going to be repeat offenders. We need to punish the people we prove to be guilty of any crime and not risk the public by being too lenient.
ReplyDeleteCrime today is on the rise and the question is how is are goverment supposed to handle it? If we followed Hammurabi's rule the crime would go down however, an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind, and it's true. People would not recognize America as a free, kind place to live but very harsh and scary. We can't kill or injure everyone and we can't throw everyone in jail. This is some thing America struggles with and will probably continue to struggle with in the future.
ReplyDeleteI think that our legal system has become more leniant over the years, and it is not a good thing. I also do not agree with the Hammurabi's Code, it seems a little to intense. There are people that are found guilty for murder and are only in prison a few years from "good behavior". That is not right. When criminals are sent out early for good behavior or get out from bail they are more likely to repeat a crime, because to them the punishment was not to bad. Our legal system has a lot more cases now a days then they did before, that is probably why they are being more leniant.
ReplyDeleteThe justice system today is more lenient than back in the Babylonian times because we try to be more sympathetic and understanding towards people. Back then, equality came at any cost. For example, if you killed someone, you deserved to die, too no matter who you were. In Hammurabi's Code, it was "an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth." The crime you committed was the consequence you endured. We try to be more understanding towards people today, and this might give people the attitude that they can get off easy.
ReplyDeleteAs our society has developed, we have become more lenient in our judicial system because we have also progressed in our feelings of sympethy and forgivness. We live in a society where we pride our selves on being a land of "happy" lives; not a scared, distopia where each action feels monitered. To keep this sense of uphoria, we have created this system where we are innocent until proven guilty. With that system comes a sense of leniancy, and thats how we've gotten to the way we are today.
ReplyDeleteI think if we made the legal more system more harsh there would be less crimes. To most criminals going to jail is nothing more than sitting there gathering with other criminals. A lot of criminals even take pride in how many times you went to jail.
ReplyDeletei think we are being to lenenent with criminals. they get away with alot of stuff. i mean they get out with good behavior but do you think they actully changed? when they get out most of them just commit another crime. so i think we should make our legal system more harsh and they wont be repeat offenders.
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