The main aim of the project is to discuss cruel and unusual punishments in the prison system in the frames of American Justice.
First of all, let us explore the meaning of the term “cruel and unusual punishment”. This means that the punishment is not given to a prisoner in accordance with the law, and it can be a kind of penalty that is disproportionate to the crime, or it can be a kind of cruel torture. In such a way, it is prohibited by the VIII Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, but the question is still questionable.
Thinking about a variety of unusual punishments, it is possible to mention shameful plates, on the one hand; while shameful plates and various dressing are available as part of the concept of alternative sentencing in the U.S., which is fixed by the law of 1984 in its current form, on the other hand. However, these measures can only be applied to those, who are answerable for the first time, who also confess the own guilt, and when the crime is not related to violence or drugs. In addition, the most important condition of unacceptable punishment is cruelty, which is an affront to human dignity, especially torture. Besides that, the punishment should not be imposed in a “frank arbitrary manner,” should not “universally be rejected in society,” and can not be deliberately deprived of its correctional and educative necessity.
Observing cruel punishments, which inflict on the person’s dignity and even life, we can mention Alcatraz prison because over time, the reputation of Alcatraz was associated with very strict regime to violators. For example, prisoners were moving to a single punishment cell without food and water, at the first stage of Alcatraz’s prison existence, while much later prisoners were limited in their ability to speak for 24 hours, and it was made in the frames of a large penalty which was a policy of silence.
In conclusion, we have discussed cruel and unusual punishments in the prison system, and have realized that many punishments, which make the person to feel physical pain, sufferings and humiliation, are considered unacceptable in American Justice.