Free will is part in of our own responsibility. It’s part of our conscious mind, our choice, to complete certain task, or game. On a criminal justice point of view however, a felony or a crime. Our actions are determined not by other people but our own state of mind. The classical and neo-classical theory states that “all individuals have free will and makes all their own choices in life based upon this free will.” (Aberle 46) people know what they are capable of, and they use that to their advantage.
According to Becarria, “individuals commit crimes because they have made a choice to do so.” (Aberle 46) I agree with this statement completely. It is an individual’s choice if they’re going to steal from an elderly lady down on Fremont, or kill the family that’s living in the house next door to you. Humans have full control of their body. However, if they have a mental illness well, that a different case. A mentally ill human is more vulnerable however, then a fully aware person. In some cases opposite from Becarria, I don’t agree with the death penalty. Becarria “felt that the death penalty, while cruel and excessive, was also an ineffective measure to reduce or punish crime.” We as a country can just go and kill people off. By making them feel completely secluded from the world I feel, is a better punishment. However, in slaughter cases, murder, do they deserve the death penalty? Maybe in some cases yes. The death penalty I believe should be used in a more high risk cases. On the other hand, the crime should be determined on how serious the crime was that the suspect has committed willingly.
There are many studies and theories on the why. Why people commit the crimes that they do. Whether it’s genetics (father/or mother to child), free willingly, or plain stupidity. I feel that the changes that the government can make in the criminal justice system is encourage citizens especially students, to stay in school and/or sports. Sports in school, makes a big difference in the amount of drop out percentages. If they occupy their free time with sports, work, or studying, then they won’t have time to go out and kill innocent people.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
“Crime is caused by the individual exercise of free will. Human beings are fundamentally rational, and most human behavior is the result of free will coupled with rational choice.” (Schmalleger. 2011. P.81)…
- 405 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
Free will, by definition, is having the ability or power to act without regard to limitations and at the individuals own discretion.…
- 1354 Words
- 4 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Free will is the power to make choices freely without any constraints or compulsions. Free will is a voluntary decision and an independent choice. It is the “capacity to respond in ways that oppose even the strongest influences” (Ruggiero, 2009). People possess free will. This is the reason why people’s decisions are unpredictable. Free will helps a person form thoughts. No matter the pressure or force placed on a person, the person will act on his or her own free will when making decisions.…
- 935 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
kind of hard to succeed in today life, because, when knowing someone at the first time is…
- 926 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
You have the freedom to go out into the world and be happy, help someone, or just be you. You also have the freedom to go out there and ruin someone’s life. Everyone has free will and can choose what they want to do with their lives. Free will means being able to do whatever you desire in life. There is no limits to what you can do in your life. As with anything in life it could either be used to bring happiness or bring sorrow. These decisions can be very subjective and it all depends on the person. Some people murder because of life traumas and others help the less fortunate because they have more than they need. The stories of author Flannery O’Connor present people who are morally corrupt and have free will. These characters are rude,…
- 2490 Words
- 10 Pages
Better Essays -
Matza, D. & Sykes, Gresham (1961). Juvenile Delinquency and Subterranean Values. American Sociological Review. 26(5). 712-719.…
- 1359 Words
- 6 Pages
Powerful Essays -
Consider this. Sadie walks into the store intending to buy M&Ms. Instead she chooses against it because she would rather have Skittles. So she checks out and merrily goes on her way with her Skittles. Is this free will? What if she had wanted to buy marijuana, but that was not there because it is illegal? Is that still free will? Or is someone or something controlling the choices she makes? Or how about this case. Joe gets arrested for stealing. He goes to jail without having the option to say no. Is this free will? Well, it was free will when Joe was stealing. Joe chose to steal, therefore he received the punishment, which was made clear in laws for that county. Yes, that is free will. But, do we really have free will, or are we given guidelines that make us believe we have free will but in reality are controlled by someone in authority?…
- 951 Words
- 4 Pages
Better Essays -
The death penalty has been an ongoing debate on whether it should be allowed or whether it violates our constitutional right. While most developed Western nations have stopped executing the United States continues to execute offenders (Zimring 2004). From 1977 through 2008 1,136 people have been executed, which consisted of people who committed murder (Procon 2010). Those who are in favor of the death penalty believe it is an important tool to help deter crime and it cost less than life imprisonment (Procon 2010). They believe retribution helps console the grieving family and it also ensures that the offender will never be able to commit another heinous crime (Procon 2010). According to Grant (2004) some people believe that some offenders should face the death penalty because of vengeance and retribution for violent crimes. During the…
- 1847 Words
- 8 Pages
Powerful Essays -
There are several theories that are used to explain why people commit crimes. These theories cover a range of scientific studies that still continue to be used in crime studies today. By using these theories and information gathered, an explanation of the criminal behaviours will be examined and explained relating to each supporting theories. The traditional explanations for crime are nature vs. nurture debate and the ideas relating to any possible biological reasons that turns someone into a criminal. Are some people really just ‘born bad?’ or are there other, social reasons for criminal behaviour? In this essay I will look at both sides of the argument, and offer an insight into the reasons behind such criminal behaviours. The Classical theory argued that everyone is entitled to free will and rational choice but in some circumstances criminals can be motivated by psychological and social forces even if there’s a consequence as a result (Curran, 2001).…
- 2054 Words
- 9 Pages
Powerful Essays -
It’s so hard to say where I stand with the death penalty. There are those moments when a person commits a crime so heinous you’re in that state of mind of wanting the death penalty for them. But then you realize this is a human being. I truly do not believe in the death penalty. To me, I think executing someone for a various form of wrongdoing would not punish them. Instead I think that’s just taking them out of their misery. The punishment for doing something wrong that is, for that the person committing such an act, should not be killed but put through suffering by living in jail for the rest of their life. It’s tough, and honestly people have their opinions and it’s in their right to go with or without the death penalty. Capital punishment is one of life 's topics that leave many divided opinions due to its risqué nature. It has been a subject full of controversy for centuries and still continues to be discussed to this day. Throughout my piece I will explain the case that is pro Capital Punishment, as well as the contrasting side - the opposition.…
- 1030 Words
- 5 Pages
Best Essays -
In today's society, one will find that there are many different factors that go into the development of a criminal mind, and it is impossible to single out one particular cause of criminal behavior. Criminal behavior often stems from both biological and environmental factors. In many cases criminals share similar physical traits which the general population do not usually have. For example criminals have smaller brains than properly adjusted individuals. However biological reasons cannot solely be the cause of criminal behavior. Therefore, one must look to other sources as to how a criminal mind is developed. Social and environmental factors also are at fault for developing a person to the point at which they are lead to committing a criminal act. Often, someone who has committed a violent crime shows evidence of a poorly developed childhood, or the unsuitable current conditions in which the subject lives. In addition if one studies victimology which is the role that the victim plays in the crime, it is apparent that there are many different causes for criminal behavior. Through the examination of biological factors, in addition to the social and environmental factors which make up a criminal mind, one can conclude that a criminal often is born with traits common to those of criminals, it is the environment that exist around them that brings out the criminal within them to commit indecent acts of crime.…
- 1350 Words
- 6 Pages
Better Essays -
certain expectations or goals could be factors in the decision in committing a crime. This type…
- 770 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
People that are mentally ill or people that do not know the difference between right and wrong are more likely to commit violent crimes. Over sixty people with mental illness or retardation have been put to death since 1983 in the United States alone (Death). It is estimated that between five and 10% of people on death row are severely mentally ill. It has been shown that almost all people on death row have brain damage from an illness or trauma, while a large amount of the others have been through severe physical and or sexual abuse (Death). People with mental illness should not face the death penalty because killing them does not make anything any better, they don't always know the difference between right and wrong, and it is not their fault that they are mentally ill.…
- 1000 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
Human life is a God-given right and a freedom provided by our government; however, mankind selfishly steals that right from their own all too often. The death penalty is a morally acceptable and justifiable punishment for murder. Simply placing someone in prison is not the equivalent to stealing an innocent life. According to Casey Carmical, “The purpose of the death penalty is to bring the murderer to justice and to acknowledge the sanctity and dignity of innocent human life” (Capital Punishment Is Morally Justified). Although abolitionists argue that the death penalty is too expensive and violates human rights, the death penalty does save lives, deter murder rates, and is a morally correct punishment.…
- 929 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth" is the philosophy many people use when it comes to the punishment of criminals. The death penalty has been debated for many years as it has come into and then fallen out of favor for the American public. Today the death penalty by lethal injection has been put on hold on a couple of states. The legality of the "cruel and unusual punishment" is being heatedly debated. The death penalty is especially volatile when it comes to the mentally ill. When a mentally ill person commits a crime worthy of the death penalty the state and those involved with the case often face a moral and ethical dilemma. If the person is not capable of understanding why they are being executed or what the death penalty means to them, there is a legal, ethical and moral question about the fairness of that execution. The states ' answer has been to medicate the mentally ill prisoner with anti-psychotic drugs so that they become capable of mentally understanding why they are going to be executed. "There is virtually no psychiatric diagnosis that always renders a defendant incompetent or unable to be held responsible for his or her acts (Reid, 1998)." The question then becomes how humane is it to bring them out of their mental illness, get them well enough and then kill them when they are able to finally understand what is happening to them? It is the courts responsibility that the defendant is capable of helping his own defense and that he fully understands his charges and his sentence.…
- 3139 Words
- 13 Pages
Powerful Essays