Corporal Punishment And Its Effect On Children

When it comes to disciplining children there are many different schools of thought and beliefs of what is right and wrong. These different opinions have been reviewed, discussed and argued by many different adults including parents, teachers, psychologists, and lawmakers. Every day parents must make decisions on what they believe is ethically and morally right when they discipline their children. Corporal punishment is one such decision. By definition, corporal punishment is “the infliction of physical pain upon a person’s body as punishment for a crime or infraction” (Encyclopedia, 2015). In a more general sense of the term, it refers to the physical disciplining of children.

Did you know that Corporal Punishment is legal in 21 states in the united states, but not in the other 29 states, and it’s only used in 13 of those 21 states. I believe that Corporal Punishment should be allowed in every state in the united states because, it helps kids learn better, it takes stress of teachers, and it teaches kids discipline.

Before I begin let me explain what corporal punishment is and the controversy that has in sued in recent moths over it. Corporal punishment is the use of spanking, whipping that is not abusive. Recently though people have been harboring a more hostile view of corporal punishment regarding it as solely abuse at the slightest mention of spanking a child.

The term corporal punishment means the intentional infliction of pain on the body for purposes of punishment and includes slapping, hitting with objects, pinching, shaking and forcing to stand for long periods of time (Epoch 1). Family researchers define corporal punishment as " the use of physical force aimed at causing children to experience pain but not injury, for the purposes of correction and control of youthful behavior" (Day 83). Spanking is one form of physical or corporal punishment (Epoch 1).

Corporal punishment is defined as the deliberate infliction of pain as retribution for an offense, or for the purpose of disciplining or reforming a wrongdoer, or to deter attitudes or behavior deemed unacceptable (Wikipedia 2014). The line between spanking and abuse is not always clear and is decided on a case by case basis by the state prosecutors and judges and whether the line has been crossed. If asked parents use the word spanking as not just a slap on the buttocks, but a form of corporal punishment that is not severe enough to be classified as abuse. Corporal punishment has been repeatedly associated with child abuse, moral internalization, aggression, delinquent and antisocial behavior, decreased quality of the parent-child relationship, increased behavioral symptoms, later criminal behavior, worse mental health, and perpetration of spouse and child abuse (Gershoff, 2002; Zolotor et al., 2008).

What does Corporal punishment mean? Murray Straus, a sociologist who has written extensively on the topic, defines corporal punishment as “the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not hurt, for the purpose of correction or control of the child’s behavior.” Some common forms of corporal punishment are: spanking, slapping, grabbing or shoving a child roughly or hitting with objects like belt, paddle, or hair brush.

“The Committee on the Rights of the Child in the General Comment No. 8 defines corporal punishment as, “any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light. Most involves hitting (“smacking”, “slapping”, “spanking”) children, with the hand or with an implement” (unicef website). Corporal punishment has been used in schools as a method of discipline and as a form of punishment for committing a crime. Some people will say that corporal punishment is no different from physical abuse, because your intending to cause some degree of pain or discomfort. However from my personal experience I went to an elementary school where they were allowed to spank the children as long as the child’s parents had signed an approval form. So needless to say if I ever got sent down to the principles officer for acting out or being bad my parents gave the principle permission to spank me. I believe that there is a difference between corporal punishment and physical abuse. Corporal punishment is a method of disciplining a child or person for acting out or for committing a crime, whereas physical abuse is causing nonaccidnetal physical injury for no apparent reason. My parents raised me to know that if I did something bad I was bound to get a “butt whooping” so I knew that if I did the same thing

Corporal Punishment is a physical form of punishment where a person inflicts pain to punish another; when someone commits a crime. There are different variations of physical pain; such as spanking, paddling, or caning, which is given to parents, guardians, school officials, or other officials. There are other types of physical pain, in ancient times, people would inflict pain by flogging; whipping, branding and amputation. It is now known today as a source of punishment in the legal system, and in homes of citizens. Corporal Punishment still exists today are in the United States, Japan, England, and China.

Should the use of corporal punishment to discipline children be considered child abuse? Annotated Bibliography

Spanking, also referred to as corporal punishment, is defined as: an act of slapping, especially on the buttocks as a punishment for children. According to Alvin Poussaint, M.D., Professor of Psychiatry, at Harvard Medical School, “Researchers have found that children who are spanked show higher rates of aggression and delinquency in childhood than those who were not spanked. As adults, they are more prone to depression, feelings of alienation, use of violence toward a spouse, and lower economic and professional achievement. None of this is what we want for our children” (Poussaint 17). Corporal punishment in U.S. homes is lawful in all 50 states, and 19 of those states still allow spanking in schools, which causes a multitude of issues. In likeness, many other countries have made spanking illegal because it engenders negative physical, emotional, and cognitive effects on children; there are many effective and harmless alternatives to corporal punishment.

The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children is pushing for the elimination of all forms of corporal punishment and physical discipline of children in all environments including in schools and at home. APSAC strongly believes that corporal punishment leads to child abuse. The line that distinguishes abuse and discipline differs among individuals. What is perceived as abuse in the eyes of one set of parents is nothing more than stern discipline to others. APSAC is striving for universal prohibition of corporal punishment in an effort to “promote quality, safe, and nurturing environments where children can grow and develop to their full potential” (Champions for Children,

The world has changed in many different ways, but there are still things that need to be changed for the better. Corporal punishment is one of those things. All around the world, corporal punishment is affecting children in many ways. It is described as a form of discipline that hurts a child in a way and is used both in homes and schools. It has been going on for years upon years and very few people try to stop it. People believe corporal punishment is good for children, but there have been so many negative outcomes that other people argue against it. Although some people believe that corporal punishment helps improve a child’s behavior, corporal punishment should not be used because it could be used excessively and it is ineffective.

Discussion about corporal punishment is everywhere. It is in the news and in the home, and in education on what is punishment and what is abuse is beginning to rise. Corporal punishment has been used as a disciplinary tool for parents throughout all of America's history (Gershoff, 2002, p. 1). However, the definition of what corporal punishment actually is, is still unclear to some people and parents. In Wendy Walsh's essay, "Spanker and Nonspankers: Where They Get Information on Spanking," she defines corporal punishment as "the use of physical force with the intention of causing a child to experience pain, but not injury, for purposes of correction or control of the

Corporal or physical punishment is a punishment designed to cause physical pain to a person, commonly practiced at home and school settings. The common methods of corporal punishment are spanking and paddling. The subject is a controversial topic even if it clearly delivers negative effects in children.

Corporal punishment is a form of punishment used on children to correct bad behavior. The definition of corporal punishment is, a physical punishment , as flogging, inflicted on the body of one convicted of a crime (Dictionary.com). While several states strictly prohibit corporal punishment in schools, 44% of states in the U.S. still allow it to occur. Corporal punishment is an inappropriate way to correct bad behavior. However, almost 50% of the states in the U.S. still allow it to occur. Corporal punishment is always wrong to use in schools because it causes long-term negative effects on students, negative opinions of school or teachers, and it can increase the rate of crime and violence from students.