Posted: August 1st, 2023

Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment
Name
Institution:

Crime and Punishment
Lesson 10
Question 1
Punishment is a penalty that comes in the form for a fine or imprisonment to an individual/offender as a result of the criminal justice process. It involves making the offender suffer for the wrong done through rough physical treatment. According to Ramirez (2020) in the study of punishment in psychology, punishment reduces the chances of the behaviour to occur again in future known as the operant conditioning. Punishment is however classified into positive and negative punishment. Positive punishment is also known as the punishment by the application. Positive punishment uses aversive stimulus to correct the behaviour after the occurrence. Negative punishment involves the removal of the stimulus where the punisher threatens to take away something if the offender does not change.
Question 2
Negative reinforcement is often confused with punishment where negative reinforcement increases the occurrence of the behaviour later, but punishment reduces the chances of the behaviour occurring in future. Negative reinforcement avoids the aversive stimulus, which is the psychological discomfort caused after the reinforcement. On the other hand, punishment involves dealing with the stimulus by weakening the behaviour to avoid the occurrence of the behaviour in future (Ramirez, 2020). Negative reinforcement is suitable when the behaviour has immediately occurred where the time between the occurrence and reinforcement should be shorter. Negative reinforcement is suitable for short-time use, while punishment is suitable for long time use (Ramirez, 2020). The concept of operant conditioning introduces reward as a form of reinforcement, where the chances of repeating the crime are higher compared to punishment. Punishment leads to the extinction of the behaviour which happens through expiatory and reciprocity punishment. Expiatory punishment involves the administration of punishment according to how unpleasant behaviour is severe. On the other side, reciprocity punishment involves the administration of punishment according to the nature of the crime.
Question 3 (Based on Australia not Nigeria)
Different countries use different forms of punishment which is contradictory, especially in determining a suitable punishment according to the nature of the crime (Ramirez, 2020). The various forms of punishment include deterrence, incapacitation, rehabilitation, retribution, restoration and education. According to BBC Africa Eye news, Nigeria uses of capacitation as a way of punishing offenders where the ability of a criminal to commit the crime again is physically removed (ODEYINDE, 2020). For example, the use of torture known as “tabay” to punish offenders, including children.
Nigeria uses capital punishment which involves death penalties. According to the country, capital punishments involve terrorism, murder, kidnapping, rape-related cases and robbery with violence. The convicts are executed through lethal injection, stoning, shooting or hanging (ODEYINDE, 2020). The criminal justice system of Nigeria has exempted children below the age of eighteen years and pregnant women where instead of the death penalty, the convicts are sentenced for life in prison. Currently, Nigeria is still applying capital punishment, where, due to COVID-19, the court systems uses the internet to offer punishment. For instance, the use of video conferencing.

Question 4
Rehabilitation model of punishment: Rehabilitation is among the latest mode of punishment which involves training the offender and offering treatment. Rehabilitation aims at correcting the behaviour of the offender and returning the individual to the community as a good person (Ramirez, 2020). Rehabilitation was developed as a way of reducing the rate of incarceration and as an alternative. After rehabilitation, the offender is released to the community under strict condition and supervision.
Education model of punishment: Education model of punishment is also known as the learning model, which is used mostly by the juvenile justice system. The education model seeks to suppress negative behaviour which takes place according to the intensity of the behaviour, alternative behaviours, method and schedule of delivery, reward and temporal proximity.
An Eye for an Eye: The eye for an eye is a biblical perspective and morality of punishment which links the justice system and enhances the right relationship. The principle supports offering punishments to offenders according to the crime committed hence discouraging and avoiding revenge.
Mirror punishment: Mirror punishment is a justification for the phrase eye for an eye or a tooth for a tooth. Mirror punishment reflects the nature and the severity of the crime. The mirror punishment can, however, be worse, especially when involves cutting the parts of the body committing the crime. For instance, cutting hands after stealing.
Lesson 10
Question 3
Question 3
Show two or three people you know a photograph of a random person or short video for five seconds.
Then take the image away. An hour later, ask them to describe the person or what happened.
Record what they say. Then look at how accurate they were.
If it is not possible to ask other people to do this, carry out the test on yourself, perhaps looking at a
random face in the newspaper or online.

Homework help – Write a short report on your findings from the set task.
The two video records provided different accounts of the observed event. The second video consists of added information not present in the first video, which appears exaggerated. Drawing my explanation from Hugo Munsterberg, a researcher, EWT often gives different accounts of an event since the testimony is often affected by emotions, such as excitement, anger or sadness. According to the task, the second testimony is exaggerated due to false memories where the witness ends up recalling the event. The second record findings may have been distorted due to poor questioning skills or the observers forgetting the scene, hence recalling.
Briefly describe what you did.
I took a video of people explaining an observation for five seconds. After an hour, I took another video of them explaining the same observation. I made a comparison between the two videos to check the validity of the information provided.
How many people did you test?
I tested three people present in the event at the same time.
What did your results show?
The results provided different accounts of the event from the three individuals. The first video was brief and concise compared to the second video, where all the three individuals provided almost similar information. The second video was different in all the three individuals, where each provided different accounts of the event. The explanation given by the first person was different from the second and third. Each information was exaggerated and consisted of added information not present in the first video.
Does this confirm or disagree with research on eye witness testimonies?
The findings confirm to the research on eye witness testimonies that how crime is perceived depends on the witness’s ability to define crime and testify. The main challenge with Eye witness testimony is the observer’s ability to give a valid and exact account of the event. The test provides a different account because the observer’s memory is influenced socially by either life experiences or culture. Most of the time, the eye witness testimony is considered biased. To provide accurate testimonies, eyewitnesses are trained, and police officers are trained on how to question suspects.

References
Mtunzie, P. M. The social construction of crime reality: a comparative content analysis of local newspapers and crime statistics, Gaborone 2016-2017 (Doctoral dissertation).
Ramirez, K. (2020). Choosing the Right Method: Reinforcement vs Punishment. Zoo Animal Learning and Training, 53-67.
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