Punishment Around the World | Teen Ink

Punishment Around the World

September 13, 2010
By evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments

Could you really give someone the death sentence? In America we do. However Panem sentences 23 kids a year. Although the Hunger Games are cruel, the world is much more so.

The capital has many strict laws that are severely punished. If and when a citizen breaks a law the odds are that they will get whipped severely. An example of this is if someone hunts they would be whipped or killed as an example. Not only do these criminals’ bear lash marks more than that they may have family’s deaths weighing on their shoulders. However if it is a major crime the whole district could be penalized. The most common form of this is withholding food or water. They could do this easily because they controlled all the districts through their tyranny. Another form of district punishment is dreaded each year, the Reaping. Forcing the districts to give up children and fight to the death. These children are referred to as tributes and although it originated as punishment you could almost argue, that if you are from the capitol it’s more a form of entertainment. If the government wishes to make an example of a tribute they might burn them or manipulate them by moving water sources or food sources to make it harder and worse in the arena. If a citizen tries escape a district they get turned into an Avox or mute to do this they cut out their tongues.

Just as criminals in the Hunger Games may bear painful memories so too are criminals around the world beaten physiologically. The world is also very gory and gruesome. Not unlike the Hunger Games the world also punishes criminals. But the only country that maims thieves is Africa, and they cut off their hands. The other countries are not entirely peaceful either, the Europeans and the Americans resemble the capitol. Because they made Africa give them a bonanza of slaves, in the 1600-1700’s which to them seemed like tributes. Another culture that gets hit hard is Christians in the Baltic peninsula. If they oppose it in any way their family members gather around them and throw stones at them till they die this gruesome ordeal is called stoning. A slightly more humane way to die is lethal injection which is used by the U.S.A.

A long time ago in the 1690’s the U.S. burnt people at the stake in a time period avowed “the Salem witch trials.” The witch trials were where people who were thought to be suspicious put to trial then killed. France in 1792-1977 used the guillotine, a thin slice of glass or weighted blade that came crashing down on the offenders head. This however being quick it was reserved for nobles to be beheaded. Another slow punishment that the U.S. performed when they had slaves they would whip them for undesirable behavior. The final punishment and one of the few that were ever used by many nations is hard labor camps were part of a criminals sentence is to mine or build roads or any other labor necessary.

How could we avoid reaching a level of strictness beyond what we have now? Maybe join Panem and split up the classes or how about positive reinforcement. Don’t punish criminals reward people who follow the rules. The world needs to rethink how it handles lawlessness. It needs to go from negative reinforcement to positive reinforcement.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 10 comments.


evore SILVER said...
on Nov. 13 2010 at 6:02 pm
evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments
why is there capitol punishment whats the point

on Oct. 24 2010 at 11:50 pm
Destinee BRONZE, Oakville, Other
3 articles 0 photos 303 comments

Favorite Quote:
Blegh. - Abraham Lincoln

The poster is saying:

1. What would be used as "positive reinforcement"? The USA does not have an endless supply of money to dole out to good people. 

2. Criminals would not get money, which would lead to them having to STEAL money 'cause they have none, thus increasing crime rates. 

And my personal POV: Good should come naturally, it shouldn't be "rewarded" like you've done something extraordinary by being good. 

evore SILVER said...
on Oct. 12 2010 at 6:02 pm
evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments
ase do not tell the world my name

Teensrck said...
on Oct. 10 2010 at 2:36 pm
Hi elizabeth!

evore SILVER said...
on Sep. 27 2010 at 1:16 pm
evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments
 it is can't you tell

evore SILVER said...
on Sep. 27 2010 at 1:13 pm
evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments
ok repeat in english

on Sep. 22 2010 at 5:39 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

Just wondering, is this a class project? Why are teens from Kansas City invading Teen Ink?

on Sep. 22 2010 at 5:38 pm
Thesilentraven PLATINUM, Mableton, Georgia
40 articles 2 photos 1632 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;il piu nell&#039; uno,&quot; (according to Emerson, an Italian expression for beauty)<br /> <br /> &quot;Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality&quot; ~Emily Dickinson<br /> <br /> &quot;The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain&quot; <br /> ~Kahlil Gibran

I have not read the hunger games, but I agree with this article to some extent. I am a strong activist against capital punishment, and I wrote an article demonstrating this.

on Sep. 21 2010 at 11:22 am
SKSK1214 BRONZE, Davie, Florida
1 article 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
&quot;And suddenly we see that love costs all we have and will ever be. Yet its only love which sets us free.&quot;, &amp; &quot;If we don&#039;t believe theres reason for living then we&#039;ll never know.&quot;

Although i see where you are coming from, i disagree with your ideas to NOT enforce punishments to the unlawful. In addition to that, what could be used as incentive to do well? money? oh yeah because we have so much of that here. *sarcasm* Honestly, lets play this out. Good people get extra money and criminals get none. Seems like it would be pretty effective. Until the criminals have none left and result to more crime to get the things they need. Oh, how i wish the world was so simple that people were so easy to tame...

I did enjoy this article however. Very well written, and you seem passionate about your subject.


evore SILVER said...
on Sep. 17 2010 at 10:08 pm
evore SILVER, KC,MO, Kansas
5 articles 0 photos 10 comments
mine this is mine