Crime and Punishment
There are two main reasons to use punishment for criminals, one has to do with the criminal and the other is about the victims or their families.
When a criminal is convicted of a crime the judge determines a punishment based on the guidelines within the law. That punishment is, in theory, supposed to give the convicted criminal a chance to rehabilitate and become ready to enter society as a productive member again (Chemerinsky, 2004). It is also supposed to help keep society safe by removing or supervising the criminal for a period after the conviction to be sure he or she doesn't commit more crimes (Chemerinsky, 2004).
Whether the punishment is probation or incarceration it is supposed to be used to give the convicted criminal time to reflect on his or her deeds and to prepare to re-enter society as a free person again. During this punishment they are supposed to recognize what they did wrong and decide not to do it again. They are also supposed to take advantage of any training that is made available to them including treatment programs for substance abuse. These are all things that help the convicted criminal reshape their life and the path they were on.
The second reason punishment is handed out following a conviction is to appease the victim or the victim's family and let them know that justice was served. If someone is the victim of a crime they often feel violated and angry that someone could do this to them. Idea of revenge may enter their mind or they may find themselves dwelling on the event. The punishment lets them know that the criminal did not get away with the commission of the crime and that society does in fact recognize that they committed it.
Both of these are foundations for the court system handing out punishment following the conviction of a criminal.
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