MovieChat Forums > Demolition Man (1993) Discussion > So the punishment is a very long nap?

So the punishment is a very long nap?

posted 7 years ago by jpowers4667
19 replies | jump to latest

I've seen this film countless times since I was a kid, and I always thought it was somewhat ridiculous to consider serving one's sentence while in suspended animation to be a pointless punishment.

Assuming one was leaving behind loved ones (which they would rarely see from prison anyway), who cares? So they are flash-frozen and awoken at the time of their parole hearing...it's all the same to them. From a prisoner's perspective, they're waking up seconds later. So the whole point of serving time is lost because they didn't actually have to age and suffer through the years.

I could also get into the financial absurdity that is keeping prisoners frozen when their crimes possibly warranted execution, but that's another topic

[–] jpowers4667 7 years ago

*always considered serving one's sentence while in suspended animation to be a pointless punishment**

[–] monkierench2000-1 7 years ago

Spartan was awake the whole time.

[–] strntz 7 years ago

From a prisoner's perspective, they're waking up seconds later.

The above poster mentioned Sparton being awake the whole time. If not, he was at least partially aware as he told the warden about knowing about his wife crying at his ice cube. In any case, it just wasn't being turned into a consicle, they also were being reprogrammed.

Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

[–] strntz (10790) 6 years ago

Posted at the now defunct IMDB site:

In any case, it just wasn't being turned into a consicle, they also were being reprogrammed.

Hehe.. I always crack myself up.

I was watching this again last night, and it occurs to me a cryo-prison with reprogramming abilities would be a fine solution if the technology existed (and wasn't abused!). I'm less concerned with punishment as much as I am for having to pay for incarceration, then have to deal with the violent scum after release.

If violent criminals can somehow be reprogrammed for non-violent behavior and/or given skills that would allow for self sufficiency, that would improve society immensely, and be far less torturous to the inmate in the long run. Isn't rehabilitation the ultimate goal anyway?

Given the option, I'd take the reprogramming (and kick in a few extra bucks to have me play guitar like Tom Scholz while I'm there).

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

erm.... why not just OFF them? NO money overall, and a GREAT example that society won't put up with ANY of that $#!t.

Future criminals would grow up watching/hearing the ZERO MERCY policy and maybe NOT commit crimes.
OOOOH so scary and cruel to fellow humans that way.... oh really? And what of all those people who were murdered or raped by criminals? What about THEM? Those don't count?

[–] strntz (10790) 6 years ago

I'm a proponent of capital punishment, but only if there is no dispute as to guilt. The fact that some death row inmates were later cleared of all crimes by DNA troubles me. But, for those cases where guilt is undisputed, I'm on board for sure. I also don't think that the death penalty is a big deterrent, nor do I care. I think it's value is that we don't have to pay for a lifetime of care for someone who can never be returned to the general population. Better for us, better for them if you think about it.

Still, the vast majority of criminals are in prison for crimes other than capital ones. We continue to need prisons; we can't just "off" anybody who is convicted for any crime.

So, a cryo-prison makes sense if it could be implemented. Not only would criminals be rehabilitated, they can be given skills that will help them land on the productive side of the economy, not the take side.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I don't want to pay (hypothetically) for a cryoprison. Keeping them on ice costs more than my monthly rent! :D

We don't KNOW if it would be a deterrent because we've never done it. :)

[–] strntz (10790) 6 years ago

I don't think a cryo-prison would be any more a deterrent than a conventional prison, but that's not the point. In fact, given the option, I'd rather do my time frozen than risk being attacked by some perv.

A cryo-prison (as designed in this film) is not a deterrent nor is it supposed to be; it's a rehabilitation facility. While the prisoner is being a consicle, he's being reprogrammed into a useful citizen. We saw Sparton given the skill to knit or crochet whilst frosty.

[–] moviechatterer (13226) 4 years ago

We don't KNOW if it would be a deterrent because we've never done it. :)

Yeah but we've done "death" and that doesent seem to be much of a deterrent.

[–] strntz (10790) 4 years ago

Yeah but we've done "death" and that doesent seem to be much of a deterrent.

I'm a proponent of capital punishment, but concede it has no effect whatsoever as a deterrent, but that's not the point.

If a person commits a heinous crime (indisputable) and can never be returned to the general population, then what's the point of giving them a life of leisure. An awful lot of good people in this world won't have had anything to eat for days or ever seen clean water, much less have TV, internet, medical care...

It makes no sense to keep a person alive for 60 years if they will die in prison.

[–] moviechatterer (13226) 4 years ago

yeah im with you , for certain crimes , in certain circumstances, like you say ," where guilt is undisputed"

[–] Starman (412) 6 years ago

What is punishment for? A revenge? What is that for, when it doesn't heal the wounds as much as the forgiveness does? I know many rape victims who would prefer such people to change rather than punished, why? Because the hate begets hate, we become them. What is that for? Is that a progress? Creating more and more of what we don't want? Perpetuating a cycle. If there is a choice for a complete change of the person, we choose basically a revenge? An act that at the end usually damages the psyche of that vengeful person anyway? This is a perfect example (when given a fictional choice of such change) how revenge would be all about us, we would just wish to create more pain that was created before. This is a hilarious cycle, people are so blind. But I understand, love is harder than hate and fear, it's much easier to hurt than love for some people.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Burk48917 (10966) 6 years ago

I'd get arrested every time a major economic or natural disaster affected me. I might as well sleep through the bad shit and get some new skills.

[–] moviechatterer (13226) 4 years ago

Yeah , you've basically got a time machine.
you could just keep getting sentenced until the robot monkey butlers are invented and nobody has to go to work.

[–] redban (5158) 4 years ago

Sleep through 2020 ... that would be a gift

[–] Washingtonnative (2613) 4 years ago

Yeah, pretty cool, eh?

[–] PaladinNJ (20308) 3 years ago

I don't think Cocteau saw it as punishments, more like rehabilitation. The premise was that the convicts were not supposed to be self aware and authorities used the time they were frozen to reprogram them. During the Taco Bell dinner, Spartan explained that he could feel what was happening. Even Cocteau looked surprised at that. His not understanding what was happening led to his downfall because he didn't have time to condition Phoenix's henchmen.

[–] kuatorises (7467) 3 years ago

If you've seen this movie countless times, you would know Spartan said he was awake the whole time. He was indeed "in prison".