Running head: PRISON, PUNISHMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICEPunishment theory of Michel FoucaultName of the student:Name of the university:Author note
1PRISON, PUNISHMENT AND CRIMINAL JUSTICEMichel Foucault was a social theorist who has developed the theory of modernprison system and concentrated on the provision of prison and surveillance (Foucault 2013).He had differentiated the provision of early punishment theories and modern theories and wasof the view that the object of punishment should not be the body of the criminals but toreduce the rate of crime. He had made a strong objection regarding the use of pillory in caseof public execution and opined that people should not lead their life with the fear ofpunishment. In his view, imprisonment is a better option and it gives a chance to the prisonersto correct their guilt and improve their standard. The concept of Foucault has made a greatchange in the modern criminal justice system and a revolutionary change has been observedin the Western countries regarding criminal judgment and modern penology (Dillon and Neal2015). Foucault has played an important role in the development of codes and the gravenature of public conviction has changed into trial and sentences. According to his view,penalty should address the soul and not the body of the criminals (O'Malley 2016). Thementality of the judges was also changed and it has been observed that a tendency tosupervise the acts of the criminals introduced where an effective role has been played bypsychiatrist and doctors.In the era of public execution, all the criminals are getting punished irrespective oftheir nature of crime and motives. In the words of Foucault, criminal judgment should bebased on nature and instinct of the offenders and scientific knowledge should be appliedduring the delivery of judgment. Certain rights have been conferred on the criminals and thepsychiatrists should have to complete the medico-legal treatment of the criminals. The concept of Foucault is based on four principles such as: (i) Punishment should be regarded as social function;
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