Is there any need for punishment other than as a deterrent?

Question

Right, a criminal has killed someone (or littered). Also there is a massive top secret island (possibly on Mars) where they could go and enjoy the rest of their life with no opportunity to hurt others further. The criminal is sentenced to life (or even the death sentence), taken to prison or whatever, and then in secret moved to the island. OK by you?

Answer 1

It is not deterrence unless the party performing the deterrence follows through with his or her actions. But, since it is a "secret" island that no one knows about, than I believe it can still be deterrence because everyone except the criminal believes that he or she is serving a life sentence or on death row if one commits a horrendous crime.

     The purpose of prison is to take those considered undesirable out of society, which this top secret Island is doing. The biggest problem of our prison system is rehabilitation. There is a staggering statistic that says those who go to prison and leave usually come back. They become institutionalized. There are organizations that help convicts make a new life, but not to many out there. This island will turn into a corrupt setting given enough violent offenders (Think "Lord of the Flies"). I don't believe criminals will live a peaceful life.

Answer 2

First, punishment as a detterrent has never been proven to work.

Secondly, yeas I have a problem with your scenario. Let us say I am a loner, I hate socializing. Because I hate being around others, I can't earn much money, so I can't afford to get away. Your system would leave me wanting to kill someone to escape the social life swirling around me.

Answer 3

The threat of punishment only works as a deterrent if it is consistently carried out with other offenders. Leaving the possibility of loopholes, poor arresting procedures and potential ways out does not act as a deterrent. It just encourages the risk takers.