The legal system in the United States is built on the concept of punishment, not rehabilitation. While that sounds harsh, the proof is in its name "The Penal System". This social modeling makes it difficult to understand the difference between punishments and consequences. This episode of Psych with Mike explains this difference and details real-world tips for parents, and everyone for that matter, to use consequences to encourage better behavior.

 

http://www.petruspsychology.com/2010/09/17/consequence-vs-punishment/