According to the United States Department of Justice, one in four children will be bullied as a teenager. This implies that bullying has become so widespread that it can serve as a destructive force for society. The severity of the bullying has been a concern for many, leading one to consider whether criminalizing the offenders might be the only effective measure left to eradicate the problem. Although there has been a lot of controversy surrounding whether bullying should be punishable by law, I personally believe that doing so will end its destruction. Bullying should be considered a punishable offense for several reasons. It is abusive to the victim, has negative repercussions on the educational system and impedes social progress. Authorities should definitely consider criminalizing bullying, especially if alternative measures such as counseling, strict school regulations, and gun control have not been fruitful.

Bullying should be punished by law because it can be considered an act of abuse for the victim. According to The Law Handbook, a guide to the law in South Australia, harassment can be described as repeated attacks on the victim by those in a position of power. These attacks can be psychological, physical, verbal, or social in nature. This definition can be understood from the cases of bullying that we read in the news today. An example is the story of T. Nhaveen, a victim of physical harassment. He suffered serious injuries and lost consciousness after being beaten by five youths in Jalan Kaki Bukit. He was admitted to Penang Hospital and sadly passed away shortly after. This brought a lot of pain to his friends and family, who were filled with pain. Although Nhaveen’s case was very severe due to the physical intensity of the beatings she suffered, it is good to note that other forms of bullying, such as verbal bullying, are often serious as well. An example of this can be seen in the story of Angel Green, a teenage girl from Indiana who was heavily bullied at her school. He teased her for her red hair, freckles, and weight. The harassment was compounded when her father was arrested for sexually abusing her and had to serve an 18-year prison sentence. Green, who was greatly affected by the taunts she received from bullies, hanged herself from a tree near the school bus stop. So she was only 14 years old. In view of these two cases of bullying, it can be seen that acts of bullying have the potential to negatively affect the victim and are often abusive. Therefore, bullying must be classified as a crime due to the seriousness of its impact on the victim and the lasting repercussions that it can bring, such as the death of the victim.

Bullying should be punished by law because it has negative repercussions on the education system. According to the United Nations, bullying affects millions of children around the world and impedes their right to education. First of all, this is because the prevalence of bullying in schools causes students to miss school to avoid bullies. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, an estimated 5.4 million students in the United States miss school at some point during the year due to bullying. Furthermore, bullying affects the educational system because it leads to lower student productivity during lessons. When a school does not deal effectively with bullying, it can create an atmosphere of disrespect and fear. This reduces students’ ability to concentrate in class and makes it difficult for them to absorb what they were taught. Apart from this, the effects of bullying in the education system can be seen in the impact of bullying on the academic performance of students. Research presented at the 119th Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association revealed that high school students in Virginia scored much lower on the standardized tests they had to take to graduate. The findings were significant because students had also reported a high rate of bullying in Virginia high schools. Therefore, in view of how bullying can negatively impact the educational system, it should be criminalized.

Bullying should be punished by law because it can lead to new criminal acts that destroy the law and order of society. Harassment can result in mass shootings if not dealt with effectively. This can be seen in the 1999 Columbine school shooting, which is considered one of the most tragic events to ever occur on a school campus. Shooters Dylan Kleboid and Eric David Harris opened fire at the school, resulting in the deaths of 12 students and a teacher. 23 students were also seriously injured. Subsequently, both shooters took their own lives. In trying to find out what Kleboid and Harris’ intentions were in carrying out the shooting, it was revealed that Kleboid was a victim of intimidation and a bully himself. The students had also picked both shooters earlier at the school. Although subsequent investigations revealed that this was not the only factor that led to the school shooting, it can be inferred from this incident that the prevalence of bullying in schools can lead to very serious crimes. Therefore, bullying should be criminalized because it can lead to serious crimes that affect many people.

For many critics, bullying should not be punished by law because schools and families can provide adequate support for the bully and the victim. An example is the administration of counseling sessions for people affected by bullying. Disciplinary measures can also be taken towards bullies to correct their behavior. However, I argue that bullying should be criminalized because the help provided by families and schools is not effective enough to reduce cases of bullying. For example, bullying in American schools remains a pervasive problem today, leading one to consider whether current measures taken within institutions and families are actually addressing the problem effectively. Therefore, in view of how bullying continues to occur despite preventive and corrective measures in place in schools, criminalization is the only measure that is severe enough to deter people from bullying.

In conclusion, bullying should be criminalized because it can be considered an act of abuse, reduces the quality of the education system and can lead to the commission of more serious crimes. Barack Obama, former president of the United States, said that “each of us deserves our own freedom to pursue happiness. No one deserves to be bullied.” The damaging nature of bullying to society actually justifies the need for it to become a punishable offense. Penalizing bullying is likely to reduce the occurrence of the act. However, it is also crucial that authorities do so with caution, as the implementation of excessively harsh sentences could defeat the purpose of allowing stalkers to turn a new page.

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