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  • Essay / Pros and Cons of Public Shaming

    What if you knew that if you drive drunk, you'll have to wear a sign around your neck saying you're doing it? If you assaulted someone, how would you feel if you had to publicly apologize? Would you be quick to commit a crime? This is what Texas Judge Ted Poe does in his county. I believe public shaming is effective, but only in certain cases. Say no to plagiarism. Get a Custom Essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an Original EssayWhat is Public Shaming? When a person is convicted of a crime, they have the choice of going to prison or being publicly humiliated. An example of one of the methods Poe used was when a man beat his wife. Poe was frustrated to see that the woman was horribly embarrassed but the man was not. Poe sentenced this man to prison and to publicly apologize to his wife. Poe later commented: "He was humiliated and he didn't like it at all. » Another example of public shaming is thieves who were forced to carry a sign outside the store they robbed, stating that they had robbed the store. What are the benefits of public shaming? Well, Judge Poe says that out of the 59 shameful sentences he handed down, only two of these criminals ended up back in prison. One store owner said that since Poe ordered the thief to stand outside his store, thefts have decreased. Mothers would bring their children to see it as an example of what would happen if they committed crimes. Furthermore, if public humiliation were used, it might even reduce taxes. If people don't go to jail, if people don't come back again and again, we don't have to pay for jails and prisons to hold them. However, where there are advantages, there are also disadvantages. In some cases, shame can be more harmful than helpful to rehabilitation if taken too far. In Illinois, a sign was placed on a violent offender's lawn reading “Beware! A violent criminal lives here! Enter at your own risk! » I think this goes too far. It almost seems as if he is presented as a monster and not as a human being who has made mistakes. Another reason why public shaming can be bad is that it can trigger violence in anyone. The thought process is: “If the government can do it, so can I” or “If the government can do it, they must be right.” One community sent flyers to everyone about a sex offender to let them know where he was. Within hours, the offender's house was set on fire, his grandmother's house was put under fire, and other members of his family received death threats. This is false, false, false! This begs the question: would this have happened without the flyers? Would people have done this on any other normal day?Keep in mind: this is just a sample.Get a custom paper now from our expert writers.Get a custom essaySome say public shaming ensures that the offender feels guilty and does not do it again. Others say the public shaming should be compared to what Mao and the Nazis did. When public shaming is used in moderation, it can be very effective.