Citation

Smith JS. J. Prim. Prev. 1992; 12(3): 209-222.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

It is clear that the criminal justice system is now and has always been organized to humiliate the offender and thereby reinforce the rules for acceptable behaviors. The humiliation is inherent in the act of taking control of a person, but the continued humiliation of offenders is destructive, breeding self-doubt, self-abasement and further illegal behavior. To appropriately address this humiliation dynamic may indeed be a major innovation in correctional practice. There is no question that humiliation is an effective motivator of human behavior. Many people who find that they have made a mistake in judgment and are guilty of a crime will be ashamed of themselves and will cease the offending behavior quickly with very little necessity for official intervention. Unfortunately, these people are not the ones responsible for this nation's excessive crime rates. These people realize their mistake, accept the blame, and take action to assure that the offense does not occur again. Our court dockets and prison beds are full to overflowing with people who cannot handle responsibility, cannot accept blame, and are either incapable of corrective action or choose not to take corrective action. These are the people that are such a challenge to our society and its criminal justice system. With this group, the use of humiliation will often increase misbehavior rather than decrease it. By humiliating these people the justice system further alienates the offender and quite unintentionally pushes the offender into further and often more serious criminal activity. It is imperative that the professionals who work with offenders understand the intended AND unintended consequences of humiliation.

Language: en