Omo… from what I’ve seen, the threat of punishment is the one thing that keeps society running and structured. Knowing that if you do something that you shouldn’t, you could be punished severely, it deters 90% of the population from doing it. And that way, many people continue to be functioning members of society. Because if this weren’t the case, then there would be more people in prison than out of it. So, it shows that the threat does work.
But then, how can I say this? Especially when there are so many people locked up in prison right now? Or the fact that some have an ongoing trial that will most definitely land them in prison for a very long time. And then, there are those that, at this very moment, I’m making this post, they are either involved in a criminal act, planning to engage in a criminal act, or basking in the rewards they got from a criminal act. Either way, it’s only a matter of time before they end up in the same place all criminals go. Prison.
One of the reasons crimes are so rampant is not because the punishment doesn’t work. The threat of being uprooted from your home and isolated from society and development, letting the world go by while your entire life comes to a startling halt, is enough to make anyone rethink a life of crime. If that threat is removed, many people will become criminals overnight. Once people realize that they can get away with something, they will most likely do it. And that is the reason many people don’t get into crime, because they believe they’d get caught and be in a pot of hot mess
But then, there is only a tiny fraction of the population that actually commits the crimes. The thing is, there will always be those who think they can game the system. They believe that they can outsmart it and commit their crime and avoid punishment. And while that usually happens, it’s not always the case. Because more often than not, cases are being solved every single day.
And then, there are those who just don’t care about the consequences of their actions. They really don’t mind going to prison; they simply do what they want and accept whatever punishment comes their way.
In a nutshell, people are funny, and they will only do what is on their mind. For a majority of the populace, the looming threat of prison is enough to deter them from a life of crime, which is our saving grace. And that’s why when there’s even the tiniest break in law and order, maybe when a protest gets out of hand and turns into a riot, you see people resorting to senseless violence and looting. These are things that we’re all capable of, but in the end, we don’t do them because they are against the law and could get us in serious trouble.
The punishment is not the problem. It’s just people being people.
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