# Is Corporal Punishment 'Justified'? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [July 24, 2013, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365 "2013-07-24T06:56:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/41 "2013-08-08T17:29:03Z")
> [@huck](#): > > Thudlow, I think that deliberately injuring people is intrinsically bad and don’t see why parents should be excepted from this when they are injuring their own kids. I totally agree. Injuring, or even risking injury to, kids is child abuse and is unacceptable. What I have doubts about is whether or not physical/corporal punishment that _doesn’t_ injure is ever acceptable or justified. ---
**Author:** ![huck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@huck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huck)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/42 "2013-08-08T17:50:45Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > I totally agree. Injuring, or even risking injury to, kids is child abuse and is unacceptable. What I have doubts about is whether or not physical/corporal punishment that _doesn’t_ injure is ever acceptable or justified. I get you, but (she said, lawyer-like) pain in itself is an injury (circular to an extent because “injury” means harm or wrong in the minds of many; but doesn’t it also mean “something that hurts”?). Not a permanent injury but an injury. ---
**Author:** ![shiftless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9c0ed/32.png) [@shiftless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shiftless)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/43 "2013-08-08T18:02:10Z")
There are a lot worse things a parent can do to a child than spanking, so a focus on spanking seems to me to be a excuse to not address real problems, like actual abuse. Certainly I don’t want any other adults punishing my children physically, because that can be used to cover up actual abuse, so a ban is OK in that sense. But a blanket ban on all physical punishment for everybody is over the top and pointless. It’s not like anyone who sets out to abuse children would be detered. ---
**Author:** ![huck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@huck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/huck)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/44 "2013-08-08T19:06:06Z")
> [@shiftless](#): > > There are a lot worse things a parent can do to a child than spanking, so a focus on spanking seems to me to be a excuse to not address real problems, like actual abuse. Certainly I don’t want any other adults punishing my children physically, because that can be used to cover up actual abuse, so a ban is OK in that sense. But a blanket ban on all physical punishment for everybody is over the top and pointless. It’s not like anyone who sets out to abuse children would be detered. I do see your point and agree that in many cases at least those who think it is OK to beat or torture a child are not going to refrain just because the law says corporal punishment is illegal. But again my experience listening to these folks is that their right to discipline their child as they see fit is how they justify their actions. And essentially the law doesn’t allow anyone to interfere until the kid is hurt or killed. Again I have mixed feelings but often think that spanking is of so little utility that it might be worth giving up that “right” to protect kids from those who will step over the line and abuse their kids or kids left in their charge. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2013, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/45 "2013-08-08T22:10:45Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > The answer is yes, it is justified. > > Positive reinforcement is the way to go, 99% of the time. But negative reinforcement has a place as well. Spankings should be a last resort and should clearly be explained as being the direct result of the child’s actions. Just to be pedantic, spanking is not negative reinforcement. It is positive punishment. Negative reinforcement would be, say, letting a kid not have to do homework tonight because he did so well on a test. ---
**Author:** ![misspawdle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@misspawdle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/misspawdle)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/46 "2013-09-27T23:07:25Z")
> [@Jim\_B](#): > > I’m sure this topic has probably already done to death on these boards: children, parents and corporal punishment. > > My question may be a little different: **Is corporal punishment of children ever _justified_?** > > I’m sure there have been many times when parents just feel like smacking the little b\*stards. But does the pain it inflicts really lead to more good than bad? Does it make better citizens? And, indeed, is every case the same? > > In Europe, they have banned corporal punishment. And I don’t think I need a cite to show you they have much less crime than we do. Do they maybe know something we don’t? > > 🙂 Yep, I agree with Corporal Punishment. Even in Jails and in Prisons. ---
**Author:** ![Farin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e79b87/32.png) [@Farin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farin)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365/47 "2013-09-27T23:48:47Z")
Most people I know spank as a “highest level of punishment” type of thing. One friend’s child got a spanking for because he deliberately broke a school window with a baseball bat (roughly 8 years old). It was the only time I know of that the kid got spanked, but I can’t really fault the parent for that. I think if it’s done in moderation, it’s a useful tool in the arsenal of child rearing. But I also have limits. A spanking is something that shouldn’t leave marks, and be an open hand on the clothed rump. Smacks are a no-no. Flicks…I don’t know. That’s a new one for me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-corporal-punishment-justified/664365.md?page=2)