In “Bring Back Flogging,” Boston Globe columnist Jeff Jacoby discusses the use of corporal punishment as an alternative to the current system of imprisonment. Published in February 1997, the article states that flogging would be a more effective means of punishment than imprisonment. He insists that it would cost less and would have a deterrent effect on first-time offenders. Jacoby's thoughts on prison reform are legitimate, but his reasoning behind the use of corporal punishment is flawed. He fails to provide reasonable support for his argument, leaving the reader guessing as to the seriousness of his claim. Jacoby begins his essay by providing a history of flogging by relating the punishment to crimes that would be insignificant in today's society. He argues that imprisonment has become a “multipurpose punishment” used for both violent and nonviolent crimes (193). Citing a wealth of facts and research, Jacoby says the prison system is inefficient and too expensive. To support his claims, he argues for a system of public humiliation and degradation to deter lower-class criminals from becoming repeat offenders. Jacoby realizes that the "crimes of the day" of flogging are not our crimes, but maintains that flogging would be effective in today's society and no more brutal than being in a cage (194). Jacoby advocates for the reintroduction of a flogging system. The main support for his argument lies in the inefficiency of the prison system. A statement by John DiIulio shows that "about three out of four convicted felons are on the streets without real probation" (Jacoby 193). Jacoby uses this statement to show that most low-level offenders do not receive adequate consequences to divert them from middle of paper......gging "and deemed inadequate." The material used to justify the insufficiency is itself inadequate. Statistical data lacks credibility and the opinions of authoritative figures do little to support reasoning. Jacoby's solution is to introduce flogging into the punishment of low-level offenders to prevent them from becoming hardened criminals, but the solution is insufficient, as it fails to discuss the moral issues surrounding it. Jeff Jacoby attempts to replace an inefficient system with an obsolete one, ultimately failing to convince the reader that flogging is a reasonable and practical solution. Works Cited Jacoby, Jeff. “Bring Back Flogging” Boston Globe. February 26, 1978. Rpt. in Current Issues and Enduring Questions: A Guide to Critical Thinking and Argumentation, with Readings. 9th ed. Ed. Sylvan Barnett and Hugo Bedau. Boston: Saint-Martin, 2011. 192-194. Print