Should juvenile sex offenders be subject to registration and notification? Explain your response. You may need to find outside sources to support your response.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
Title: The Case Against Subjecting Juvenile Sex Offenders to Registration and Notification
Introduction
Juvenile sex offenders are a complex and sensitive topic in the realm of criminal justice. The debate surrounding whether juvenile sex offenders should be subject to registration and notification requirements has been a contentious issue. This essay aims to argue against subjecting juvenile sex offenders to registration and notification, highlighting the potential negative consequences and the need for alternative approaches to rehabilitation.
Thesis Statement
Subjecting juvenile sex offenders to registration and notification requirements can have detrimental effects on their rehabilitation and reintegration into society, as well as pose ethical concerns regarding fairness and the best interests of the juvenile offenders.
Adverse Effects on Rehabilitation
One of the primary arguments against subjecting juvenile sex offenders to registration and notification is the potential negative impact on their rehabilitation. Research has shown that the stigma and social ostracization resulting from being on a public registry can hinder an individual’s ability to reintegrate into society and lead a productive life. A study by Levenson and Cotter found that registered sex offenders face significant barriers to housing, employment, and mental health services, which are crucial for their successful rehabilitation. For juveniles, whose brains are still developing and who have a higher capacity for change and rehabilitation, being labeled as a sex offender at a young age can have long-lasting psychological effects and impede their ability to mature and grow beyond their past actions.
Ethical Concerns
Moreover, subjecting juvenile sex offenders to registration and notification raises ethical concerns regarding fairness and the best interests of the offenders. Juveniles are in a different stage of cognitive and emotional development compared to adults, which should be taken into account when determining appropriate consequences for their actions. Placing juvenile offenders on public registries alongside adult offenders fails to recognize these developmental differences and treats them the same under the law, despite their unique vulnerabilities and potential for reform. It is important to consider the principles of proportionality and individualization in juvenile justice, ensuring that the punishment fits the crime and that the focus remains on rehabilitation rather than punitive measures.
Alternative Approaches to Rehabilitation
Instead of subjecting juvenile sex offenders to registration and notification, alternative approaches should be considered to promote their rehabilitation and successful reintegration into society. Restorative justice practices, such as victim-offender mediation and community-based programs, have shown promise in addressing the harm caused by juvenile sex offenses while holding offenders accountable in a more constructive manner. These approaches emphasize healing, restitution, and community involvement, rather than punitive measures that can perpetuate cycles of stigma and reoffending.
Conclusion
In conclusion, subjecting juvenile sex offenders to registration and notification requirements can have detrimental effects on their rehabilitation and reintegration into society, while also raising ethical concerns regarding fairness and the best interests of the offenders. Alternative approaches that prioritize rehabilitation, restorative justice, and individualized treatment should be considered to address juvenile sex offenses in a more effective and humane manner. By focusing on healing and community support rather than punishment and isolation, we can better serve the needs of juvenile sex offenders and promote a safer and more just society for all.
