Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system

Good luck in advance to my opponent, and I'll be happy to clarify anything as I've set up my case like a real Lincoln-Douglas debate. Albert Einstein once said, "If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed." It is because I agree with Albert Einstein that I stand in firm affirmation of the resolution, which states: Resolved: Rehabilitation ought to be valued above retribution in the United States criminal justice system. To clarify, I offer the following definitions. Retribution- punishment that is justly deserved Rehabilitation- This is the approach to justice which focuses on helping criminals see the error of their ways and once again making them productive members of society Ought- used to express moral obligation My value today will be Utilitarianism, which is defined as the principle that all actions are right if they are useful for the benefit of the society. My value criterion in today"s debate will be societal welfare, which is the well being of the society. My job as the affirmative, judge, is to prove to you that the criminal justice system ought to value rehabilitation over retribution. And it"s as simple as this: by rehabilitating people we are saving lives and bettering our society. I will further prove my affirmative stance with three contentions. Contention One: Rehabilitation can help our community. Chip Corwin, The New York Times, December 2, 2012. "But first, we need to stop using punishment as a principal justification for lengthy prison terms and, instead, reserve prison for those who pose a grave risk to public safety. Punishment, where productive, could still be employed through sanctions and local supervision of graduated intensity. But instead of going to prison, low-risk offenders should stay in the community. This emphasis on results over retribution would bring many benefits. Not only would it help redeem America's image abroad, but it would also help restore many communities that have come to regard prison as a rite of passage. Also, offenders not in prison are better able to pay restitution to victims." People today just don"t see prison as a threat anymore. Instead of tearing people away from their families for one drug offence, maybe we should focus on getting them ready to function well in society. While at the same time, opening up prisons to people who actually need to be there. Not only would it help our society, it would make it safer. Contention Two: Retribution has strong negative effects on children and families. Kim Gilhuly, The New York Times, December 2, 2012. "Perhaps the most harmful result of needlessly incarcerating low-risk, nonviolent offenders is what it does to families, especially children. More than one-third of children with a parent in prison drop out of school. Youth whose parents go to prison are seven times more likely to be convicted of a crime as adults. But data can't measure the pain of families torn apart by harsh sentences that are ineffective, unhealthy and unfair. Most of these people need treatment, not punishment. Prison doesn't treat their problems, doesn't make communities safer and rips apart innocent families whose wounds may not heal for generations." Why hurt one person, one family, when we can help an entire community. Retribution is not effective anymore. Contention Three: Rehabilitation is more cost effective. Kristin Mitchell, "Rehab or Prison?", May, 2010 "According to the Minnesota House of Representatives, it costs approximately $32,700 of taxpayer money every year for each inmate in our state"s prison system. There are around 9,000 inmates in the prison system in Minnesota. So let"s do the math. These figures add up to about $294,300,000 each year, just in one state! Providing treatment outside of jail is more cost-effective. It costs about $2,000 to $7,000 per person. Drug treatment inside jail or prison costs $24 more per day than basic costs of incarceration. The Drug Treatment Alternative to Prison (DTAP) program is being used in Brooklyn, New York. The average cost of putting someone in the program is $32,974, compared to the $64,338 needed to send him or her to prison for 25 months, or the average prison sentence for drug offenders. This program cuts the cost to the community by half!" One common misconception about rehab is it costs too much. But what we need to realize is keeping someone in prison is way more. Our tax dollars are going towards food and boarding for a prisoner when they could be going towards making them better and helping the offender. As I stated earlier judge, my job is to show that our criminal justice system ought to value rehabilitation over retribution, and I"ve done just that. Not only is it morally right and good for society, it"s much cheaper than prison. Retribution, in many cases, is dealt unfairly. In our justice system, people sometimes don"t have equal treatment in the courts. If you have more money, you have a better lawyer, and you have a lighter sentence. There is simply nothing good about retribution. Instead of punishing one person for a mistake, lets prepare for a life in society, helping the community. It is for these reasons and many more I respectfully ask for an affirmative ballot in today"s debate.