James.R.Tyrrell

From Science to Sci-Fi

135 – Crime & Punishment

by | Feb 8, 2019 | Exploration I

Reading Time: 2 minutes

How should members be ‘punished’ if there is an infraction of the community rules?

The rules in question here are the rules of conduct, within the walls of the community and are not to be confused with civil law, transgressions of civil law such as rape, assault or theft will be dealt with by the legal institutions of the host country. Rules such as not getting so drunk as to cause disruption, failure to complete tasks, take part in mandatory activities such as exercise or chores etc. should all be in some way punishable offences as they are in a school, university or company.

As with most systems there should be a series of progressive punishments (not including corporeal punishment) starting with official warnings and then progressing to a reduced pay of savings, subsequent bad behavior will result in a period of isolation and meditation, such and isolation needn’t be solitary confinement but a literal boycott, such as Charles Boycott endured, along with arduous tasks such as memorizing various social and philosophical stoic texts on social cohesion. This would continue until either the member decides to leave, or change their behavior.

3 strike systems of repeated bad behavior and a disregard for others, or a particularly awful transgression (faked research, plagiarism of others work) could ultimately be punishable by expulsion from the community. When such a decision is reached the effects should be immediate. Savings should be paid into a personal account exterior to the community or given as a check. Temporary guest accommodation will be provided for up to a month while the individual finds an alternative.

If a member is ejected from the community it can be for a set period of time. The very system of our criminal punishment and legal systems, not to mention the belief in the capacity for individuals to change does allow for the possibility that time outside the community to reflect might create significant change.

Permanent expulsion from the community (someone for example falsifying research, a direct contradiction to the entire foundation of what the community stands for), or one committing a crime shall never be allowed to enter any community again.

99

by | Jun 22, 2012 | Exploration I

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Why have punishments in the community?

There are two fundamental methods of punishment; personal remorse or guilt  for your actions and socially or legally imposed punishments.

It is firstly important to clarify that if any civil law is broken it is up to the external authorities to decide the severity of the punishment according to the laws of the nation the community resides in [note: This means irrelevant of the moral codes of the community if someone brakes the law of the nation that the community is operating in they are charged and sentenced by the authorities in that nation. There should be no excuses and all laws of a host nation should be upheld]. This is right, proper and should not be disregarded or lashed out against, even if the civil law seems incorrect or archaic.

If there is a breakdown of order in the community that is not relevant to civil law, like a member not working or causing agitation, regularly causing distress etc. The range of punishments would flow from  isolation -> exile. The reason should be clear ‘ good behaviour should be encouraged and rewarded while negative or destructive behaviour should be discouraged and mitigated.

As physical punishment has been regularly shown to be notoriously bad at being an effective system to change habits, social isolation and reflection seems a more appropriate method. Humans without training find social interactions and stimulus pretty necessary. Social isolation or enforced reflection on difficult topics should be sparingly dispensed to transgressors, certainly an authority figure dealing out the punishment should be in a group of selected officials who all agree on what is being done.

The council in charge of the rules and assessment of peers who might be removed from community permanently will either

a) need to be carefully decided on by a vote from the community or,

b) the matter must be voted on by the entire community in an open dialogue

As removing someone from the community permanently is the most decisive judgement the community can deliver.