Check Your Knowledge
The following questions will help you determine your
understanding of the previous section. Work through the questions,
compare your answers with the suggested answers.
Questions:
Retribution is no longer a sentencing objective according to the Criminal Code , but historically it has featured openly as a major reason to sentence criminals. Do you think it is a good thing to be moving away from retribution, or is there still room for this objective in our sentencing processes? Explain your answer.
Suggested Answer: Many experts in the field of sentencing feel that there is no room left for the idea of simply punishing wrongdoers; yet many Canadians seem to have an intuitive sense that justice should be served and that someone who has done wrong should be punished. Whenever people hear of criminals getting out early on parole or of young offenders being given lenient sentences for serious crimes, there is an outcry that the system should be tougher. Yet studies have shown that lengthy prison sentences often serve only to turn people into hardened criminals who will offend against society again upon release. Reconciling punishment with rehabilitation is a very difficult thing to do.