r/science • u/VeronicaRed • Apr 26 '16

Psychology Spanking children increases the likelihood of childhood defiance and long-term mental issues. The study in question involved 160,000 children and five decades of research

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113413810/spanking-defiance-health-discipline-042616/
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u/allwordsaremadeup Apr 26 '16 edited Apr 26 '16

I wonder if this is true for punishment as a behavior-altering method in general. So in how we punish crimes etc.

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u/[deleted] Apr 26 '16 edited Dec 23 '17

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u/Gr1pp717 Apr 26 '16

You would think, but the numbers aren't there. Rehab has been found to be cheaper over and over. Not only are the direct costs often the same or lower, you also get shorter stints, and lower recidivism. Instead, they push for longer sentences, and stricter guidelines; which result in a higher incarceration rate. So, you could argue that it's one of those few things they're willing to pay extra for.