Bring Back Flogging - Essay
In the essay “Bring Back Flogging,” the author Jeff Jacoby discusses the flaws of imprisonment, today’s punishment for criminals. Published in the Boston Globe in 1997, the essay’s purpose was not only to address the problems of locking up criminals, but also to suggest a hypothetical solution or alternative to a prison sentence. In order to completely understand Jacoby’s essay, “Bringing Back Flogging,” it is essential to analyze his thesis, purpose, methods or strategies, and persona beforehand
Jacoby’s thesis is implied rather that explicit. He uses examples throughout his essay to imply that adopting the punishment Puritans used almost four-hundred years ago, flogging; meaning, being whipped or beaten, would be cheaper and more effective that putting criminals behind bars. “A humiliating and painful paddling can be applied to the rear..for a lot less than $30,000 [the price it costs per inmate each year] and prove a lot more than ten years’ worth of prison meals and lockdowns,” is one of the examples Jacoby uses to support his implied thesis. He also states in his very last paragraph, “Maybe we should Adopt a few,” referring to the humiliating sanctions the Puritans has back in the 1600’s.
Jacoby introduces a theoretical solution for an alternative punishment for criminals as the purpose of this essay. He hopes to provoke question amongst his readers as to whether being whipped in public is more degrading then being caged. Jacoby is forcing his audience, the general public, to consider his idea of bringing back flogging as a reformed punishment for some of the thousands of criminals. He does recognize that there is a difference in the crimes that are being committed, violent and non-violent, meaning there is a need for more than one type of punishment.
Jacoby uses several methods in his writing to help support his thesis. first, he uses historical facts. in his introduction he descriptively describes the different punishment cases in Boston during
Jacoby’s thesis is implied rather that explicit. He uses examples throughout his essay to imply that adopting the punishment Puritans used almost four-hundred years ago, flogging; meaning, being whipped or beaten, would be cheaper and more effective that putting criminals behind bars. “A humiliating and painful paddling can be applied to the rear..for a lot less than $30,000 [the price it costs per inmate each year] and prove a lot more than ten years’ worth of prison meals and lockdowns,” is one of the examples Jacoby uses to support his implied thesis. He also states in his very last paragraph, “Maybe we should Adopt a few,” referring to the humiliating sanctions the Puritans has back in the 1600’s.
Jacoby introduces a theoretical solution for an alternative punishment for criminals as the purpose of this essay. He hopes to provoke question amongst his readers as to whether being whipped in public is more degrading then being caged. Jacoby is forcing his audience, the general public, to consider his idea of bringing back flogging as a reformed punishment for some of the thousands of criminals. He does recognize that there is a difference in the crimes that are being committed, violent and non-violent, meaning there is a need for more than one type of punishment.
Jacoby uses several methods in his writing to help support his thesis. first, he uses historical facts. in his introduction he descriptively describes the different punishment cases in Boston during