What is corporal punishment, and are there any U.S. states that still allow these practices?

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Please answer the following corresponding questions to chapter 1:

1. What is corporal punishment, and are there any U.S. states that still allow these practices? If so, name all of them.

2. In your own words, describe what Jeremy Bentham’s “hedonistic calculus” is and how that applies to criminal law.

3. Please answer question #13 on page 23 of your textbooks.

Assignment Requirements: 

APA Format

Paragraphs must be indented and double spaced

Times New Roman/12 Point Font 

Assignment must be submitted on a word document. No PDF’s, Mac/Apple Pages

Minimum 2 academic sources, 1 of which can be your textbook. PLEASE CITE ANY SOURCES YOU USE!!!

Reference Page that is separated from your assignment. 

 

Question 1 — What is corporal punishment, and are there any U.S. states that still allow these practices?

Corporal punishment refers to the intentional infliction of physical pain by an authority figure as a form of discipline. In the context of schools and criminal justice, it typically includes actions like paddling, spanking, or striking a person on the body to punish or attempt to change behavior. In juvenile justice and schools, corporal punishment has historically been used, but over time many states have banned it due to concerns about physical harm and psychological effects.

As of the most recent national data, corporal punishment in public schools is still legally allowed in some U.S. states. According to the U.S. Department of Education and civil rights reports, these states include:

  • Alabama

  • Arkansas

  • Florida

  • Georgia

  • Idaho

  • Indiana

  • Kansas

  • Louisiana

  • Mississippi

  • Missouri

  • North Carolina

  • Oklahoma

  • South Carolina

  • Tennessee

  • Texas

  • Wyoming

These states permit corporal punishment at the school district’s discretion and often require parental notification or consent. Many other states, especially in the Northeast and West Coast, have prohibited corporal punishment in educational settings. Research has shown that school corporal punishment is associated with higher aggression and lower academic outcomes, which has influenced policy changes nationwide (Gershoff & Font, 2016).

References for Question 1:
Gershoff, E. T., & Font, S. A. (2016). Corporal punishment in U.S. public schools: Prevalence, disparities in use, and status in state and federal policy. Social Policy Report, 30(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2379-3988.2016.tb00077.x

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights. (2021). Civil Rights Data Collection: School Climate and Safety. https://ocrdata.ed.gov

Question 2 — Describe Jeremy Bentham’s “hedonistic calculus” and how it applies to criminal law

Jeremy Bentham’s hedonistic calculus is a philosophical concept developed by the British philosopher and legal theorist Jeremy Bentham in the late 18th century. At its core, the hedonistic calculus is a method for evaluating the moral rightness or wrongness of an action based on the amount of pleasure or pain it produces. Bentham argued that humans are motivated by a desire to pursue pleasure and avoid pain, and that ethical decisions should be made by calculating which choices create the greatest net happiness:

Bentham proposed considering seven factors — intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity (nearness in time), fecundity (likelihood of leading to more pleasure), purity (chance of not leading to pain), and extent (number of people affected). By measuring these, a decision-maker could theoretically determine the action that maximizes overall good.

In criminal law, the hedonistic calculus influenced the development of utilitarian legal theory. Bentham believed that laws should be designed to prevent pain (criminal behavior that harms others) and promote public welfare. Thus, when lawmakers consider punishments, they should weigh whether the severity of the punishment produces net social good by deterring crime and reducing suffering. For example, a utilitarian approach would support punishments that discourage harmful acts while avoiding overly harsh sentences that generate unnecessary pain without reducing crime. Bentham’s ideas helped shift legal systems toward rational, consequence-based reasoning, and away from punishment based on tradition or retribution alone.

Reference for Question 2:
Bentham, J. (1789/2007). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. Dover Publications.

Next Step — Provide the Text of Question #13 on Page 23

Please paste exactly what the textbook asks for question #13. Once I have that, I will:

✔ Write a strong academic answer in paragraph form
✔ Maintain APA formatting and scholarly tone
✔ Include proper in-text citations and references
✔ Ensure your paper meets length and formatting requirements

Formatting & Writing Notes (Based on Your Assignment Instructions)

✔ Microsoft Word only — no PDFs or Pages files
✔ Times New Roman, 12 pt, double-spaced
✔ Indented paragraphs
✔ Header on every page
✔ Minimum 2 academic sources (textbook can count as one)
✔ APA 7th edition citations & reference page

Helpful Research Links (to support your paper)

 

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