# Any studies ever been done on how effective caning is as a means of deterrence? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 8, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077 "2017-04-08T22:23:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/1 "2017-04-08T22:23:30Z")
Per the Wiki article below > **[Caning in Singapore](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caning_in_Singapore)** > > Caning is a widely used form of corporal punishment in Singapore. It can be divided into several contexts: judicial, prison, reformatory, military, school and domestic. These practices of caning as punishment were introduced during the period of British colonial rule in Singapore. Similar forms of corporal punishment are also used in some other former British colonies, including two of Singapore's neighbouring countries, Malaysia and Brunei. > Of these, judicial caning is the most severe. It is... Have any studies ever been done that compared the efficacy of caning as a punishment vs just simply imprisonment with respect to preventing people from re-offending? Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/2 "2017-04-08T22:54:11Z")
Don’t know about any studies, but it’s going to deter me from ever going to Singapore. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/3 "2017-04-08T23:01:39Z")
Seems to work pretty well. Singapore is one of the cleanest and graffiti free cities that I’ve ever visited. Beautiful place. Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/4 "2017-04-08T23:27:32Z")
It’s a mistake to assume that THIS aspect of a country or society is due to THAT one factor. There is nothing magic about caning. ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/5 "2017-04-08T23:56:48Z")
It is very safe and crime free, while geographically positioned as to be over run by drugs etc. When I hear them protesting against it in numbers, I’ll think it’s an issue. Isn’t it a left over from a British colonial past? Any time they wish they can do away with it, until then, their country, their business. It may indeed be distasteful to many, but it’s not exactly death squads or the disappearing of people. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2017, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/6 "2017-04-09T06:42:13Z")
Has there ever been someone (non-masochist) who repeated a cane-able offense after being caned? Not that it in itself explains everything, but it has to be a pretty powerful deterrent. ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/7 "2017-04-10T00:05:54Z")
Would you ever [drive DUI](https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8eb_1269138010)again? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/8 "2017-04-10T00:14:14Z")
I would choose caning over a stay in the median US prison. Easily. You’d be a fool not to. That said, the science suggests that deterrence is mostly about the certainty of punishment, not the severity of it. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/9 "2017-04-10T00:50:31Z")
> [@Richard\_Parker](#): > > That said, the science suggests that deterrence is mostly about the certainty of punishment, not the severity of it. This. And to some degree the punishment has to be unusual. If it isn’t in some form unusual, how can it be classified as punishment? What qualifies as unusual will differ from culture to culture but finding that out could be the key to effectiveness. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2017, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/10 "2017-04-10T13:46:23Z")
> [@astro](#): > > Have any studies ever been done that compared the efficacy of caning as a punishment vs just simply imprisonment with respect to preventing people from re-offending? Caning is certainly _cheaper_ than imprisonment. If you’re trying to run a country on a budget, and you have a choice: -pay a caner for five minutes of work -maintain and staff a prison to feed/house for a 90-day sentence caning sure looks like a very economical alternative. Like prison sentences, the severity can be dialed up or down with more/less lashes. Are people consistently re-offending after a six-lash sentence? OK, let’s up the basic sentence to twelve lashes. Or more. At some point when you can’t sit or sleep comfortably for a couple of weeks, you’ll be giving more thought to your future actions (assuming you have an intact sense of impulse control). ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/11 "2017-04-11T07:57:58Z")
We were caned by the teachers at school 40 years ago. Not often, and three strokes was usual. Six strokes for something serious and on rare occasions twelve strokes - which were administered over a couple of days. And the school nurse checked for damage. Very few boys merited those punishments. Yes it worked in that we thought twice. And no, the cane didn’t stop rule breaking but did reduce it. > [@Weisshund](#): > > Would you ever [drive DUI](https://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8eb_1269138010)again? That made me cringe. Pretty bad in this day and age but being realistic, probably less trouble than a broken leg or some love from Bubba in a cell. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/12 "2017-04-11T08:03:22Z")
I will say this, sometimes I am tempted wish they would bring back flogging for some of the smug habitual offenders I see. _No, zero prison time for you, just six of the best._ Might stop them. (Please note I said tempted). Of Singapore has the proper British style caning, not the wimpy Saudi style “lashes”. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/13 "2017-04-11T09:41:11Z")
> [@kopek](#): > > If it isn’t in some form unusual, how can it be classified as punishment? ??? ??? 😕😕 What? Getting fined a large sum of money by a court, for example, has to be one of the most common punishments in the world, and not one bit unusual, but I sure wouldn’t want it to happen to me in my paycheck-to-paycheck personal-finances situation right now. It sure would be punishing. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2017, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-studies-ever-been-done-on-how-effective-caning-is-as-a-means-of-deterrence/784077/14 "2017-04-11T15:01:17Z")
When I was a student we were caned constantly.