When jails are over crowded and people are getting off virtually scott free or at worst, with a slap on the wrist for lesser crimes, but crimes which none the less have had serious implications for the victims involved, why is there so much opposition to bringing back some form of corporal punishment?
Corporal punishment would free up jail space for more serious offenses as well as create a disincentive to the continuation of socially unacceptable behaviors.
I'm not talking here of the hideously barbaric rotan such as is used mercilessly in parts of Asia, but perhaps a broad strap designed to cause pain without harmful and lasting effects.
I'll put my hand up. I'm all for it. Is there anyone else who would agree with me. Perhaps there are some amongst you who can provide a logical explanation which will change my view without all the unnecessary emotional rubbish we usually witness in such debates.

Aime, one concern I would have is that once you go down that track it is but a very short step to the use of torture. It's probably not a big step to a whole lot of places as a society many don't want to be.

I suspect that for many people facing legal sanction a flogging may be a better outcome than a stay in prison (with it's dangers, impact on families etc) but I worry about the impact on society itself if we went down that track. How long before we would have a reality TV show featuring the flogging of the week? That would be good for ratings in some circles.

Whilst it might solve some problems my gut feel is that it would create a whole lot more.

R0bert

I'm all for the stocks to be reintroduced in Martin Place for elected public officials caught lying. And a plentiful supply of over-ripe tomatoes. This or transportation out of Australia.

Well RObert, I would hope corporal punishment would be carried out only under very strict conditions including a private area (although I feel some deserve a public flogging) and not until a mental health assessment was first done.
It a bit like euthanasia. People are concerned that it will lead to others being "put down" such as the profoundly mentally ill, those with ABI etc, but surely strict legislation would prevent that.
I used to hate getting the strap at school. The old nun's were pretty good in the wrist and I hated them for it, but these days, I look back and think what a great deterrent it was, even though I remember being in the firing line when innocent on a couple of occasions. Perhaps if corporal was re-introduced to schools under certain conditions, it might put an end to a lot of the bullying we seem to hear so much about today.

Aime, "Perhaps if corporal was re-introduced to schools under certain conditions, it might put an end to a lot of the bullying we seem to hear so much about today."

I copped the cane myself a couple of times supposedly for bullying and each time it was case of a teacher arriving while I was defending myself against a bully. The fact that I was tall for my age and fairly gentle of nature marked me as a target for short bully's who seemed to gain some cred from hitting the big guy and by teachers who assumed that any big kid fighting a smaller one must be a bully.

I'd agree that there are times where the deterant value would be good, I'm also of the view that schools seemed to have had a lot of trouble administering corporal punishment fairly when it was available. From what I've seen and heard it often became an outlet for adults who were bullies themselves, who got off on hitting kids.

Bullying at school is a serious problem but from my perspective it gets much worse when the bully is an adult. I don't see in practical terms how you keep that out of the equation.

Then again the idea of stocks and rotton tomatoes for pollies who tell lies has a certain appeal.

R0bert

I have always endorsed corporal punishment. I suffered it at school when most boys were beaten for some infraction or other. It was strictly controlled but dispensed regularly. I know of no one who ever suffered long term, but it sure kept us in line and taught us a great many things such as personal responsibility, reliability, ethics, honesty and all those other things that hopefully make us good citizens I think it should be brought back for certain social crimes as it would be cheap and a great deterrent. I do not believe the sociologists that say it is barbaric and promotes similar developments in the people so punished.