Shame and Punishment

[MissLT]

Thief challenges dose of shame as punishment

Some parts of that news,
"A mail thief who was sentenced to wear a large sign publicizing his crime will appeal in a case that could have broad implications for so-called shaming punishments.....

For instance, one California purse snatcher known for his stealth was ordered in 1976 to wear noisy tap shoes in public. A state rather than a federal court reviewed that case and upheld the punishment.

In Gementera's case, a federal judge in March 2003 ordered him to stand for eight hours outside a San Francisco post office wearing a two-sided "sandwich board" bearing the words: "I stole mail. This is my punishment."

• In Maryland, Texas, Georgia and California, shoplifters have been required to stand outside stores with signs announcing their crimes.

• In Escambia County, Fla., and in Ohio, drunken drivers are issued special license plates that identify them to fellow motorists.

• In Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas, convicted sex offenders have been ordered to place signs on their front lawns that warn away children.

• In Pennsylvania last year, the driver of a car that caused a fatal accident was forced to carry a picture of the victim."

Do you think it's judicial to publicly shame a person for what he/she has done to a community?