The Amish have neither the resources nor the desire to use prison as a sanction against members of their community who violate the rules. What sanction do they use instead?
A) Various methods of corporal punishment are used, whereby petty criminals may be branded, have their ears cropped, have their noses slit, or even have their fingers cut off.
B) Offenders are flogged or put in stocks to be publicly humiliated for a short period of time.
C) Monetary fines are used for most norm violations.
D) Meidung, or shunning, is used, a process whereby no one within the community will associate or even talk with a rule breaker for a set period of time.
E) The offender is mandated to provide physical labor for the community.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Amish use a practice called Meidung, or shunning, as their main sanction for those who violate community rules. This involves members of the community refusing to associate or communicate with the rule breaker for a set period of time, which can range from weeks to even a lifetime depending on the severity of the offense. This punishment is seen as a way to encourage repentance and discourage others from breaking the rules. The Amish community does not use physical punishment or incarceration as a form of sanction.

The Amish Have Neither the Resources nor the Desire to Use