Would it be a good idea if we could use shame as a punishment for more crimes, in the US?

Question

Would it help at all?

Shanghai Police To Shame Jaywalkers On TV

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Shanghai police will post photos and videos of jaywalkers in newspapers and on TV in a bid to shame them out of breaking traffic rules, local media reported on Thursday.

Offending pedestrians, moped riders and cyclists would be snapped at selected intersections and their images put in regular columns and on special television programmes set up by police, the Shanghai Daily said.

The scheme had come under fire from lawyers who said public humiliation was too steep a punishment for jaywalking and warned of defamation lawsuits against police.

"It's a principle of law that a penalty should match the seriousness of the crime," Liu Chunquan, a local lawyer, told the paper.

Jaywalking is a way of life in major Chinese cities, where crossing roads legally can be a hair-raising battle of nerves with oncoming cars disinclined to give way to pedestrians.

Traffic police recorded 7.78 million jaywalking violations at Shanghai intersections in the first eight months of 2008, the paper said.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080828/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_china_jaywalking;_ylt=AgY8HKckQNXi67cfmGxwtbbtiBIF

Answer 1

I don't know if anyone would care that their picture is up because of jaywalking.. I know I wouldn't care..

Actually, if they did that here in America, alot of attention whores would purposely jaywalk so they could be in the newspaper

Answer 2

Yes and no....it would be very effective (and quite often preferable) to those who can be shamed.  

However, some people just cannot be shamed at all....

Answer 3

Might work on Asian Americans who still have a group mentality, won't work on white people they'd just have a boob flashing contest like at Disneyland

Answer 4

Shame IS used to a certain degree in the US.  If you are arrested - whether or not you are found guilty - the media will splash pictures of you all over their papers and internet sites.  Of course most people seeing you in the paper automatically assume you're guilty  -  why else would you be in the paper?  This is especially life changing if a person is accused of being a pedophile.  Once their picture is in the paper associated with the article - everyone assumes they are guilty.  After working in prison for 27 years I can tell you, if they are found guilty their life is in jeopardy the minute the walk into a prison.  EVEN if they were acquitted!  Inmate don't really care and one of them will know and tell the others.

Years ago in Salt Lake City they used to put your picture in the paper if you were caught soliciting a prostitute...  That caused some real problems for people - even for such a mundane "crime."  Families were torn apart, men lost their jobs, fights broke out over people disrespecting wives of accused etc.

You have to use some common sense - the media has NONE!!

Answer 5

There already is a stigma with being a convict.  

I think that posting pictures of jaywalkers is a waste of resources / time.

If they wanted to curb jaywalking, they need to step up enforcement and increase the fines.  Hit them in the pocketbook.  That is the universal language.

Answer 6

I'd get the most photos and become famous. Taking my picture? Ooo how flattering!

Answer 7

Too steep a punishment? I wouldn't care if my picture was put up for jaywalking. If it was a s*x crime, or a crime against a minor, or something like that, I would be mortified. Jaywalking? Who cares?