Worth a Shame
Eric Macy
10:00-10:50
CA Rough Draft
Worth a Research In the articles “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person” by June Tangney and “Shame is Worth a Try” by Dan Kahan the authors discuss alternatives to incarceration to non-violent crimes. In Kahan’s article he introduces the alternative called “Shame Sentencing”(574) and June Tangney introduces the alternative to incarceration and shaming with a future productive “Guilt Sentencing.”(568) In their articles Tangney and Kahan both have valid points regarding the use of shame sentencing as an alternative to imprisonment; Tangney argues that “shaming” is wrong and offers a beneficial alternative in community service, whereas Kahan barely comes to a conclusion that shame “is worth a try”. (Kahan 574) Throughout Tangney’s article she expresses that she is very against the alternative to imprisonment used today, shame sentencing. She does however in her article offer a substitute to shame sentencing called guilt sentencing. Guilt sentencing, for example, is making the offender go to a drunk driving crash site to help clean up if convicted of a DUI. With this method the public at large and the state save money while saving scare prison space; also the offender’s closing thought is that they did a bad thing, not that they are a bad person. (568) Unlike shaming that is scientifically proven that it, “serves to escalate the very destructive patterns of behavior we aim to curb.”(Tangney 567) What Tangney means by this is that shame sentencing may be cheap, but it isn’t as effective as it is hyped to be.
With shame sentencing your name and your crime is put out in your local newspaper, which is supposed to create the effect of guilt and remorse; but this type of sentencing actually ends up creating violent or reoccurring problems with minor or major crimes. Tangney also explains throughout her article that, “feelings of guilt are much more likely to foster constructive changes in future behaviors.”(568) Tangney exclaims
10:00-10:50
CA Rough Draft
Worth a Research In the articles “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person” by June Tangney and “Shame is Worth a Try” by Dan Kahan the authors discuss alternatives to incarceration to non-violent crimes. In Kahan’s article he introduces the alternative called “Shame Sentencing”(574) and June Tangney introduces the alternative to incarceration and shaming with a future productive “Guilt Sentencing.”(568) In their articles Tangney and Kahan both have valid points regarding the use of shame sentencing as an alternative to imprisonment; Tangney argues that “shaming” is wrong and offers a beneficial alternative in community service, whereas Kahan barely comes to a conclusion that shame “is worth a try”. (Kahan 574) Throughout Tangney’s article she expresses that she is very against the alternative to imprisonment used today, shame sentencing. She does however in her article offer a substitute to shame sentencing called guilt sentencing. Guilt sentencing, for example, is making the offender go to a drunk driving crash site to help clean up if convicted of a DUI. With this method the public at large and the state save money while saving scare prison space; also the offender’s closing thought is that they did a bad thing, not that they are a bad person. (568) Unlike shaming that is scientifically proven that it, “serves to escalate the very destructive patterns of behavior we aim to curb.”(Tangney 567) What Tangney means by this is that shame sentencing may be cheap, but it isn’t as effective as it is hyped to be.
With shame sentencing your name and your crime is put out in your local newspaper, which is supposed to create the effect of guilt and remorse; but this type of sentencing actually ends up creating violent or reoccurring problems with minor or major crimes. Tangney also explains throughout her article that, “feelings of guilt are much more likely to foster constructive changes in future behaviors.”(568) Tangney exclaims
Cited: Kahan, Dan. “Shame Is Worth a Try” Models for Writers: Short Essays for Composition Eleventh Edition. Eds. Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s. 2011. 574-576. Print. Tangney, June. “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person” Models for Writers: Short Essays for Composition Eleventh Edition. Eds. Alfred Rosa and Paul Eschholz Boston: Bedford St. Martin’s. 2011. 564-568. Print.