Discussion. Caning. PART 1

I. What is Caning? Caning is a form of corporal punishment, typically involving the use of a cane or similar implement to strike a person's body. Historically, it was used in many countries for judicial, military, school, or domestic discipline. While most European countries have now banned corporal punishment, a few countries worldwide still retain judicial caning, such as Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, and some regions that implement Islamic law. Taking Singapore as an example, caning remains a part of its criminal justice system. According to the information provided by 'Corner International,' Singapore currently has various offenses for which caning can be sentenced, some of which are 'mandatory caning,' where the court must impose it if the conditions are met. Applicable crimes include certain violent offenses, sexual offenses, drug offenses, and fraud. Therefore, the biggest difference between caning and general 'fines' or 'imprisonment' is that it directly inflicts physical pain as part of the punishment.