Can serious punishments curb the corruption?

Can serious punishments curb the corruption?
Sep 1, 2008 21:45
KATRINA Points: Join Date: Nov 29, 2004 Status: offline	Draft Amendments to the Criminal Law (7) has been submitted to the Standing Committee of NPC for discussion. According to Xinhua News, those who commit financial crimes, take bribes or have corruption problems will be punished more severely. As for those who commit crime of holding a huge amount of property with unidentified sources, the sentence will be raised from 5 years imprisonment to 10 years. What does it suggest? China is trying to curb the corruption by make more serious punishments on those criminals. Xie Mingzhong's case is a good example. Xie was the Secretary of the Wenchang (a city in Hainan Province) Municipal Party Committee. He had taken bribe of 18 million yuan when he was the Secretary of the Wenchang Municipal Party Committee. He also holds 8 million yuan with unidentified sources. Finally, he was sentenced to death penalty with two years reprieve. Meanwhile, his polictical rights will be stripped off for lifetime and his personal property will be confiscated. The wants to make Xie Mingzhong an example for other offcials. However, some people doubt if serious punishments can curb the corruption. According to the Criminal Law, those who corrupts more than 10 thousand yuan, if the circumstances are serious, will be possible to be sentenced to death. But why are those offcials still risking their lives to corrupt money or take bribes? What do you think of this? Can serious punishments curb the corruption?

Sep 1, 2008 21:45

KATRINA
Points:
Join Date: Nov 29, 2004
Status: offline

Draft Amendments to the Criminal Law (7) has been submitted to the Standing Committee of NPC for discussion. According to Xinhua News, those who commit financial crimes, take bribes or have corruption problems will be punished more severely. As for those who commit crime of holding a huge amount of property with unidentified sources, the sentence will be raised from 5 years imprisonment to 10 years. What does it suggest? China is trying to curb the corruption by make more serious punishments on those criminals.

Xie Mingzhong's case is a good example. Xie was the Secretary of the Wenchang (a city in Hainan Province) Municipal Party Committee. He had taken bribe of 18 million yuan when he was the Secretary of the Wenchang Municipal Party Committee. He also holds 8 million yuan with unidentified sources. Finally, he was sentenced to death penalty with two years reprieve. Meanwhile, his polictical rights will be stripped off for lifetime and his personal property will be confiscated.

The wants to make Xie Mingzhong an example for other offcials. However, some people doubt if serious punishments can curb the corruption. According to the Criminal Law, those who corrupts more than 10 thousand yuan, if the circumstances are serious, will be possible to be sentenced to death. But why are those offcials still risking their lives to corrupt money or take bribes?

What do you think of this? Can serious punishments curb the corruption?

Sep 2, 2008 02:58

JACKAROO
Points:
Join Date: Aug 17, 2008
Status: Offline

Societies are not kept or made civil by law but by a critical mass of the population deciding to be honest. The law will only pick up a few of the few who are corrupt. No one is perfect but only a small minority will attempt to defraud others to such a large extent of 18 million Yuan. All societies need to value honesty and good character. I prefer punishment to fit the crime and I would see fraud of 18 million Yuan be punished by 18 years of goal and as much repayment of the money as possible.

I do not like the death penalty because if the court made a mistake there is no way to rectify the mistake. I also think that the death penalty brutalises a society. A long time in gaol sends a message to potential and current criminals that there is a consequence for their criminal behaviour that is long term IMO.

Sep 2, 2008 21:34	#2
JIMMYB Points: Join Date: Feb 7, 2007 Status: Offline	To punish those corrupted officials heavily is indeed a good idea. But I am wondering if the punishments will be implemented very well. Some corrupted officials have "umbrellas" to protect them. Even they commit serious crimes, they are seldom sentenced to death.

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