There are types of punishments which are basically segregated into socio-economic [e. g. fines, loss of income, confiscation, suspension and community service] and physical/corporal punishments [ e. g. capital punishment, custodial sentences and public humiliation]. Each punishment is levied with a unique judicial system of moral laws in order depending on the severity of violations of humanity or legal bound systems and enactments of laws. The struggle of punishment has been eternal ever since the times of Moses and Pharaoh [Holy Bible] considered to be a moral and physical battle between righteous and unrighteous.
Question: How far punishment works in an individual in bringing change through the process of psychology? There are several factors to consider before a conclusion is arrived at. For instance, among children, punishing children although considered as risk, it is attempted in small quantities, in order to bring behavioral change or to make children to get away from bad habits or deeds. Secondly, some of the patterns of punishments are followed by rewards. This is considered as simple system of motivating children which is practiced by parents and teachers.
If punishment is stick, carrot is the reward. Application of stick in punishing individuals is implemented in order to bring a psychological change or reordering the status of mental health which is expected to be unsound or deterrent in causing a willful catastrophes, at the time committing a wrong deed. Gregory Zillboorg (1953) in his lectures, The psychology of the Criminal Act and Punishment, stated that there exists a conflict between law and psychiatry, which has to be dealt with appropriate measures and standards according to the severity of the case.
Importantly, the emphasis is laid here on the understanding the psychology of criminal or wrong doer in order to prevent the judicial courts from doing injustice. Rehabilitation or punishment can also be considered as mental therapy on cognitive approach, to enable an individual to realize in the course of trial period, which is predicted to produce results in transforming the mindset, in long-term perspective. This particular work of psychology is attempted to bring down the level or status of criminal mindset to the normal psychology of human mind.
The Analysis of psychology of a person in the course of punishment According to William James (1890), the functioning of principles of psychology in human brain are similar in every human being. viz. , logic, introspection, experiment and comparison. Further, psychology is interrelated with moral philosophy which emerges in the mind with the implication of punishment which is a probable cause for transforming a bad individual into a good individual [Oprah shows of social and family violations].
Another important process of operant conditioning, viz. , positive and negative reinforcement, response cost, punishment and extinction which is primarily applied in educational practices which indicates stimulus. Conclusion The significance is laid on the function or the analysis of human thoughts which are beyond control whether positive or negative, each adverts its impact on the external environment resulting in levy of punishments.
Punishment is only an effective tool with the medium of human psychology to turn-off the schemes of brain both at macro and in micro level of criminal justifications. Excessive familiarity breeds contempt. So also, it is another indicating factor that small or great, punishment is never to be subdued with when the crime is involved with national and international affairs such as camouflage, espionage and catastrophes as history proved that it does not thrive no longer and crime takes shelter only at the jurisprudence of law.
