Resolved: In the United States, minor jail time ought to be replaced with significant rehabilitation

READ BEFORE JUDGING/DEBATING… this is intended to be a Lincoln Douglas debate with value and criterion. This LD debate is basically meant to ask which is more important, hard core punishment, or rehab… With that, I will begin my case… -Thousands of men have entered and exited and re-entered and exited once again. A repeat offender. What is it that makes them do that? Why is it that we continue to try what isn't working. Which is why I must agree with… -Resolved- In the United States, minor jail time ought to be replaced with significant rehabilitation. This leads me to my value for this round… I. Value- Societal Welfare -Within this round, the only question is what provides a better solution for the society. What you have to see is that when we use rehabilitation over just a night in jail, they will commit crimes less often and if I can prove that, I will save tax money and the use of crimes therefore increasing societal welfare or the good of the society. In attempting to achieve this, there is only one way to achieve this within this resolution… II. Criterion- Appropriate Punishment -It is simple to make the connection of appropriate punishment as being significant rehabilitation. What you have to see is that when we get appropriate punishment, then societal welfare is right around the corner. The difference between Pro and Con in this resolution is simply the method of punishment. In most cases, a night in jail is not significant enough to stop from future misbehavior, but if you put them into rehab clinics, it is punishment and it does teach them why they should not act inappropriately in the future. III. Minor Jail time is not an appropriate punishment. A. Minor Jail time is not a great enough incentive to stop repeat offenders. -What you have to see is that while spending a day or two in prison is a slap on the wrist, it is not a great enough incentive to not try it again. In the end of due process, what the society truly wants is fewer crimes, not hard core punishment such as jail time would do. In other words, in order to truly support societal welfare, we must have appropriate punishment such as significant rehabilitation. B. Minor Jail time does not fit the crime committed. -While many people would insist on a day in prison being enough of a punishment for perhaps shoplifting or a DUI… it simply is not. When you were growing out, your parents would be more concerned that you learned your lesson rather than you being punished, but simply put, minor jail time does not fit any sort of crime big or small, it doesn't teach anything. IV. Significant rehabilitation is an appropriate punishment. A. Significant rehabilitation is a punishment for the common criminal. -What do you think is the last thing that a common criminal would want to happen after being caught doing a crime? Being talked to about it of course! If there is ever an incentive to not commit a crime, it isn't a bad meal on a stiff bed (such would be the case of minor jail time) but it would be 20 hours of talking to awkward councilors instead. Therefore, significant rehab has all the benefits of minor jail time. B. Significant rehabilitation gives a chance for the common criminal to be a regular citizen again. -The final and most important argument in my case is simply that rehab does give a chance for the common criminal to finally be a good citizen (thus supporting societal welfare). It may even be the first time in these peoples lives that they actually understand why you do or do not do certain things. What you have to see is that even if I prove that one more person is saved by my significant rehabilitation, and then I prove that fewer of the costs will appear. -In the end- The appropriate punishment at the end of this case and round simply has to be significant rehabilitation. It offers few of the costs (IV B) and all of the benefits (IV A). It offers a chance for common criminals to become common citizens thus increasing the societal welfare and overall increasing general moral goals and standards. Affirmative is positive at every angle you look at it so after all of this you have to see that: In the United States, minor jail time ought to be replaced with significant rehabilitation… so please vote Affirmative. Thank You!