Which of the following is true regarding prison as a mechanism for punishing crime?
A) Throughout history, most societies have used prison to punish the most serious crimes.
B) Historically, only humane and ethical societies have used prison as a form of punishment.
C) Prison was rarely used before the nineteenth century.
D) Prison is commonly used as a punishment because it is extremely cost-effective.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Throughout history, most societies have used forms of punishment other than prison, such as corporal punishment, banishment, or execution. It was not until the nineteenth century that Western societies began to use prison as the primary mechanism for punishing crime. Therefore, option C is true. Option A is incorrect because it implies that prison has been commonly used throughout history when in fact it is a relatively recent phenomenon. Option B is also incorrect because there have been many societies throughout history that, by modern standards, would not be considered humane or ethical, yet still used prison or similar forms of punishment. Option D is incorrect because while imprisonment may be common, it is not necessarily cost-effective given the high cost of maintaining prisons and the fact that rates of recidivism remain high.

Which of the Following Is True Regarding Prison as a Mechanism