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Course: Wireless Philosophy > Unit 8
Lesson 6: Retributivist justifications of punishmentEvaluating the argument
Retributivist Justifications of Punishment:
Evaluate and discuss the argument presented in this video.
Consider the following arguments against retributivist punishment:
- It doesn’t account for the importance of offender rehabilitation and reintegration.
- It refuses to give offenders harsher sentences than they truly deserve for their crime even if such disproportionately severe punishment is the only level that will effectively deter this kind of crime.
- It focuses on what the offender deserves, without taking into consideration what is actually in the best interest of the victim.
In your opinion, which of these arguments points to the most significant problem with retributivist punishment? Is this problem significant enough for you oppose retributivism, or do you think the virtues of retributivism outweigh its downsides?
Discuss this question with a friend! Compare answers, and think together openly yet critically about the pros and cons of retributivist justifications of punishment.