Image source: Cyber Salt
Should we see more of this?
Police in the Sichuan province of southwestern China are granting exemptions to minor traffic violations committed by scooter drivers, bikers and pedestrians in exchange for confessions posted to social media. There’s just one condition to have the fine repealed: one’s post must earn at least 20 likes.
A traffic police officer from Dazhou told the Beijing News that the verbal warnings normally used by the department to address minor traffic violations have produced little effect as evidenced by the prevalence of traffic violations occuring in many of the city’s districts.
The department’s intent is to leverage peoples’ penchant for “collecting ‘likes’ on social media” to compel individuals to reflect on their errors and ultimately bring more attention to road safety.
Thus far, more than 10 individuals have chosen to apologize for their mistakes online. Authorities released one confession that garnered 28 “likes” and was rescinded:
“I was seized by traffic police when driving my scooter in the wrong direction at an intersection. I have learned it was wrong after education by the traffic police officer. I would like to remind internet users to learn from my lesson and not to think it was OK to commit mistakes when driving a scooter.”
Thoughts
Welcome to the Internet era’s newest example of public shaming. Society’s use of public humiliation dates back centuries to the colonial period and is referenced in famous works like Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.
Today we continue to employ public shame as a deterrent for the general populace and to prevent recidivism in first-time delinquents. For example, there are registries for sex offenders and even specially marked license plates in some states for convicted drunk drivers.
Some, however, oppose public humiliation due to its potential unintended effects on 3rd parties affiliated with the offender, the downside associated with allowing defendants to determine their punishments, and other broader social risks.
A poll conducted on Debate.org suggests that the public is evenly divided on the issue.
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What do you think?
- Is public shaming an effective policy for reducing minor criminal offenses?
- Could it also reduce violations for more severe offenses?
- Will more law enforcement agencies throughout the world utilize public shaming as a deterent? Should they?
- Are there guidelines or conditions that could be applied to public shaming to make it more effective and morally acceptable?
- How would you like to see public shaming managed moving forward?
Further Reading on the Utilization of Public Shame as Punishment
Zhuang Pinghui, South China Morning Post.“Chinese traffic police let offenders off if they post a confession online (and it gets enough likes)”, April 18, 2018
Meghan Walsh, Pacific Standard.“Public Shame as Punishment for Drunk Drivers”, June 8, 2017
Debate.org “Is public shame an appropriate means of punishing criminal offenders?”
Patt Morrison, LA Times. “Is public shaming fair punishment?”, May, 24, 2014
Russell Blackford, The Conversation. “The Shame of Public Shaming”, May 3, 2016
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