"Our system is the height of absurdity, since we treat the culprit both as a child, so as to have the right to punish him, and as an adult, in order to deny him consolation"

This quote by Claude Levi-Strauss speaks with the absurdity of our present justice system. He is pointing out the contradiction of dealing with the perpetrator both as a child, in order to have the right to penalize them, and as an adult, in order to reject them alleviation. This is a paradoxical situation, as it is difficult to both penalize and console someone at the exact same time. It is a system that is naturally flawed, as it stops working to recognize the mankind of the person being punished. It is a system that is based on punishment instead of rehabilitation, and one that fails to recognize the potential for redemption and growth. It is a system that is rooted in a punitive frame of mind, instead of one that looks for to comprehend and deal with the underlying causes of crime. Eventually, this quote speaks to the requirement for a more humane and caring justice system that acknowledges the humankind of those it looks for to punish.