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Message: <blockquote data-quote="green slime" data-source="post: 3661182" data-attributes="member: 1325">There are all sorts of reason for which the real world resorts to incarceration. None of them rely on a "free" choice of repentence. Why do you insist on persuing this chain of thought, connected to the real world, in a game of absolutes?Secondly, Real World examples: Repenting is not enough to avoid incarceration. You may get a reduced sentence, but never "get out of jail free". So much for real world comparisons.The real world is forced to make all sorts of practical compromises. Secondly the penal system isn't about forcing a change of attitude in the criminal mind (no matter how much the idea entertains us), as it is concerned with removing criminal elements from society in order to protect those less criminally inclined, and most importantly, in order to create the appearance that justice is being done. Now, how people can argue that justice is done when manslaughter and murder can render shorter prison terms than economic embeezlement is beyond me. Yes. They are against the law in this country, and a parent that spanks a child here, where I am sitting, will face severe penalties, and likely lose custody of their child. The fact that this society continues function in spite of this "lack of parental discipline" may cause some surprise to you.But I just explained. It is Evil.See the fundamental difference is the reason for incarceration. It isn't to enforce a change of mindset. You can't. You can give people the tools for which to encourage that change, but you can't enforce it. In the RW, during incarceration, you give people the opportunity to change their lives around. You can't make them do this. You can't make them vote Republican. You can't make them all homosexual. You can't make them like the colour green. The reason for their incarceration, is that they have broken a social contract. In breaking this social contract, they have created for themselves a debt to society. This debt can be paid off in a variety of ways, but most often, in the RW, involves removal of basic freedoms. Some countries still use capital and corporal punishment. Most civilised countries today avoid floggings, stonings, beheadings, hangings and the like. That said, I don't consider incarceration to be particularly "good" either. It neither rehabilitates the criminal, nor provides any real compensation to the victims. In the RW, it is a necessary evil. I'm glad it exists though.In days of yore, a criminal could be sentenced to exile, and would also fear social stigmatisation from their class (if at least well off), as well as possible excommunication.Forcing people to do your will through strength of arms is wrong. Convincing people to do your bidding through Diplomacy, is not.</blockquote>

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