Should corporal punishment be allowed?

This position holds that corporal punishment is good. It argues that, administered correctly, it is a powerful and easily applied deterrent against crime and misbehaviour — and that some people respond to nothing else, making physical punishment uniquely effective in those cases.

This position holds that corporal punishment is wrong and has no place in modern society. It argues that it legitimises violence, causes long-term psychological harm, hinders emotional development, offers no real restitution, and is never administered evenhandedly.

This position holds that corporal punishment is acceptable in some specific circumstances. It argues that it may be appropriate only under strict conditions — never administered in anger, and only when the offender is old enough to understand right from wrong.