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Why and how do you think jail was invented?
I mean back in ancient times, why would it be a necessity to trap someone who was causing trouble, instead of just getting rid of that person?
I hope you get my point lol
What i mean is why would someone come up with the whole idea of capturing a troublemaker, locking em up(instead of just killing them, which would work as a deterrent and teach a lesson) and then releasing the person after a certain amount of time, HOPING AND LEAVING TO LUCK, that the prisoner doesnt make the same thing twice
5 Answers
- BilboLv 79 years agoFavorite Answer
Ancient pinciple of Justice is that people are innocent until proven guilty. Your shoot now, ask questions later approach has been tried in the past (and recent past) but tends to offend human rights and runs contrary to various conventions).
Much of the basis of early laws was originally more a way of taxing people for their misdemenours than dispensing justice - a very useful way of raising revenue - killing them for trivial offences tends to negate that.
Miscarriages of justice can and do happen - easier to release someone form prison then raise them from the dead if you find you have got it wrong.
Given the relative amount of violent crime in a country like the USA which has the death penalty - when compared with others (eg UK which doesn't) rather suggests the deterrent angle is not actually that effective
- DonLv 49 years ago
Well this migh sound weird but a lot of people has issues with killing people, even way back then.
Also killing a person doesn't teach them any lesson it is just a deterrent for others. What if you like that person and just want them to learn. Imagine if it was a family member or a close friend. Back in the day we lived in smaller societies and were all more closely knit together within the society structure. Can't kill em all we need them to plant the sheep this spring.
Source(s): Plant the sheep - ?Lv 49 years ago
I suspect the concept of jail didn't come about for people who committed crimes as judgement for them was swift (either execution, punishment, or sentenced to servitude/restitution) but rather for captured enemies who didn't really do anything wrong except be born into an opposing group or society. It was common to hold enemies until the ransom or geld was paid for thier release. This was especially true for captured leaders, kings, generals and such.
- Anonymous9 years ago
Jails in ancient Rome were more places were criminals were kept before execution. I don't think they had "jail sentences" in those days with some criminal serving time. However the Romans were very familiar with keeping lots of slaves in some sort of confinement. So I suppose that could have been the real father of the modern jails.
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- hello hLv 49 years ago
in the olden days even if someone did something small(like steal a few pennies, not kill)
they would just get killed
now people get sent to jail
jail doesn't always help the person but its better then killing them (sometimes)
though i have no mercy for the killers or other terrible poeple out there. they deserve death
