IndexThe Gray Area of ​​ShameI'm Not Ashamed of ShameFrom Shame to RescueGrowing up, all my mother wanted for me was to learn from my mistakes. In the justice system, most judges have the same intention: that criminals learn and prevent a crime from happening again. One way judges put these lessons into practice is through public shaming. Although it's strange, public shaming is an effective punishment that should be used. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Public shaming can prevent excess prison inmates. Some crimes, such as petty thefts and driving violations, deserve only minor punishment. Minor criminals should not be sentenced to prison, but those who have committed extreme crimes should. Another benefit of public shaming is the lessons it teaches criminals. Public shaming makes criminals feel embarrassed, and embarrassment prevents the criminal from repeating the same crime. He also gives lessons to communities. Hundreds of people will walk down the same street and witness public shame. They will learn from the criminal's mistakes and will not commit the crime. Overall, public shaming is a unique punishment that has multiple benefits. It saves space in prison and teaches lessons to many people. Any punishment that results in a lesson learned is a good punishment, no matter how mild or severe the punishment was. Public shaming is effective and used rightly. The Gray Area of ​​Shame When discussing the best punishment for misdemeanor offenders, there are many gray areas. What is the best moral punishment that will prevent criminals from committing crimes again? When does a punishment cross the line between moral and immoral? While I believe public shaming is an appropriate punishment, I sometimes find myself in the gray area regarding the topic. Initially, I firmly believed that public shaming as punishment was a great idea. Not only does public shaming provide monetary benefits, but it also teaches many lessons. However, as I learned more about the topic, my opinions changed and I found myself confused about what I believed. In the essay “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person,” psychology educator and researcher June Tangney suggests that public shaming causes feelings of shame, rather than guilt. In shame, one feels that they are a bad person, while in guilt, one feels bad for what they have done. It is easier to change action than to change character. Tangney's reasoning suggests that public shaming is ineffective. However, Dan M. Kahan, a Harvard Law graduate, suggests otherwise in his essay "Shame Is Worth Feeling." Kahan believes that people's reputations play an important role in their lives, making public shaming effective. Kahan also points out the flaws of other punishments. Kahan says, “The fines seem to say that criminals can buy the privilege of breaking the law,” and also points out that using community service as punishment is insulting to those who do it out of the goodness of their hearts. You might think that knowing more about a topic would help you form a stronger opinion. However, for me, learning more about public shaming has put me more in the gray area. I still believe that public shaming is effective, but I take a softer stance on this belief. There are many valid arguments about how public shaming is effective or ineffective, and it all depends on how you look at it. Shame doesn't trigger the right emotion forinitiate change, but it can also ruin one's reputation, making it effective. All punishments are controversial regarding their effectiveness. A criminal could walk out of prison and never commit a crime again. Another criminal could finish his sentence and immediately commit the same crime again. The effectiveness of punishments depends on the person sentenced and what life changes his eyes. Public shaming may not be effective for all criminals, but the justice system should continue to use it because it is effective for some. Don't be ashamed of shame The concept of public shaming is the subject of much controversy and many valid points on both sides. Some may strongly support public shaming, while others may oppose it. Initially, I took a strong stance in support of public shaming. As I learned more about both the pro and opposing sides, I found that my beliefs were still supportive of public shaming, but they were milder and fell into the gray area. I had the understanding that any punishment will be successful for some but incompetent for others. To take a definitive stand, I took a hard look at public shaming. I needed to know the answers to the following questions: How effective is public shaming? What makes it successful? For those who are successful? For starters, public shaming has proven effective for many judges. Painesville, Ohio, Judge Michael Cicconetti says public shaming punishments continue to be used across the country only because they have been successful. But how is this success measured? For many judges, success is measured by the number of criminals who are resentenced. For District Judge Ted Poe of Harris County, Texas, only two of the 59 offenders he sentenced for public shaming have been re-incarcerated. Putnam County, Florida. Judge Peter Miller has sentenced over 600 offenders to public shame and only three of these offenders have been reconvicted for the same crime. With numbers this low, it's no surprise why public shaming is still used. Not only is public shaming successful in the eyes of some judges, it is also successful in the eyes of some criminals. In Harris County, Texas, Judge Poe sentenced a thief to wear a sign explaining his misdeeds outside the store where he stole. The offender was ashamed in the eyes of mothers and their children. Later, he wrote a letter to Judge Poe and stated that the public shaming was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He had felt the effects of public shaming and this encouraged him to change his character and his life. Continuing the same story, public shaming was successful in that situation because the offender experienced disgrace and was unable to escape public disapproval. . Most people care about their reputation, and for some, a ruined reputation and everyone's disapproval equals failure. Some might say that shame can harm a person's dignity, but Vincent J. Schodolski, a journalist who has interviewed many legal experts, argues otherwise. Schodolski argues that public shaming punishments are attempts at life-changing educational experiences and allow transgressors to see the harm their wrongdoings have caused or could have caused. This is what it takes to initiate change in a person, for shame to be successful. Shame can be associated with negativity, but it can have positive effects. Thom Brooks, American philosopher and author of “Shame?