Let the Punishment Fit the Crime in the State of California

The Punishment After having been arrested and charged with the killing of my children’s father, I was subsequently convicted of first degree murder, PC §187a (CA Codes). The sentencing guidelines, here in California, require a judge to adhere to PC §190a which states that, â€Å"Every person guilty of murder in the first degree shall be punished by death, imprisonment in the state prison for life without the possibility of parole, or imprisonment in the state prison for a term of 25 years to life (CA Codes). I had serious concern toward the possibility of falling under PC §190.2a which asserts that, â€Å"The penalty for a defendant who is found guilty of murder in the first degree is death or imprisonment in the state prison for life without the†¦show more content†¦From the moment I was situated nude for my initial strip search, I adhered to the fact that I am now someone else... a criminal. I am undeniably feeling the retributivist effect of having lost eve rything that I once valued in exchange for the life choices I made. This leads me to think that CCWF is in full alignment with the retributivist philosophy, so why then do I have feelings of optimism while incarcerated here? Utilitarians view punishment as a pathway lined with deterrence†¦ one that ultimately leads criminals towards rehabilitation. This is a forward-looking approach, as it focuses on the future of criminal behavior (Hemmens et al., 2013). This perspective concentrates on two separate entities. Those being the person whom is punished, as well as the other members of society. If one were to ask a utilitarian, â€Å"Why Punish?† the response would likely be, â€Å"We must punish in order to promote good and prevent evil†¦ in the future.† There is little focus on the crime that has already been committed or under what circumstances that it occurred. The concern is with what society should do next in order to prevent it from happening again. Utilitarians believe that if no good consequences result from punishment, then no punishment is justified. One could look at this philosophy of punishment as a doorway of opportunity for criminals, but also as a doorway of fearâ₠¬ ¦ one that keeps law-abiding citizens fromShow MoreRelated Capital Punishment Essay: Death Penalty is Good for the Economy1301 Words   |  6 PagesThe Death Penalty is Good for the Economy    Crimes are committed everyday. Many people are caught, while many are not. In the United States of America, when a person kills another person s/he is considered a murderer. The instant that murder takes place all rights should automatically be revoked. Murderers should not be allowed to walk the streets. Once a person has killed there is a good change that it could happen again. 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