Criminals Should Be Punished

When a crime is not punished quickly, people feel it is safe to do wrong. [Ecclesiastes 8.11]

Truer words were never spoken.

This is true even with a child.  Left unpunished, he will continue with increasing disobedience.

In society, and regarding crime, this is most painfully true and evident.  There seems to be no limit to how mean and hateful people can be when justice is not only delayed but in some cases forgone completely.

Living in a medium-sized US City has opened my eyes to just how depraved our society has become.  Evening news reports are never lacking for some story of an offense that leaves me shaking my head in disbelief.

And yet we seem more concerned about criminals' rights than those of the victims!  Criminals should be punished and punished quickly!  And yet, here in the USA, they are given every comfort of home including free education and three meals a day.  I just saw last night that one prison is concerned they must upgrade their prisoner communications system so the prisoners may better communicate with their families via the latest electronic media, video telephone.  One man interviewed said the added benefit would lessen the prisoners 'separation' from his family and aid in his reformation.

I am shaking my head right now as I write...

What is punishment if it is not painful and uncomfortable?

Father, help us as a society to understand the pure wisdom of punishing crime swiftly and fully.