Bring Back Flogging

In the essay, “Bring Back Flogging” by Jeff Jacoby, the author discusses the disadvantages of having jails. He feels that we should bring back flogging because he thinks that it will be more effective than throwing people in jail for every crime that is committed.

The author feels that jails are taking up space and aren’t as efficient as flogging. He is also saying that they are much more expensive and over-populated. Jacoby says that the amount of rapes in prisons has also increased and that is another reason why he wants flogging to return; so these rapes won’t occur as often.

Analysis

I disagree with the ideas in the essay to an extent. I do believe that less people should be put in jail, but I do not believe that flogging should be brought back.

I believe that less people should be put in jails because they are becoming over-populated. According to Jacoby, “Some 1.6 million people are behind bars today. That represents a 250 percent increase since 1980, and the number is climbing.” People can go to jail for almost every crime that is committed when some crimes should only require a fine or something a little more extreme. Not every crime is bad enough to have to be imprisoned for committing it.

Flogging should not be brought back because that makes people suffer and suffering is not a humane thing. Some of the forms of flogging in the past include being whipped or branded with hot irons. Yes, it would teach people lessons, but it should not return. Even though it would teach someone the lesson, but they would probably go on to commit another crime and receive another flogging that could be more or less extreme than the first punishment they got. If the punishment is less extreme, the criminal would continue to go on their rampages and commit crimes because they know the punishment won’t be as bad the next time they do something against the law.

According