There are many different possible approaches to deviant and criminal behavior. Typically, five are identified:
1. Incapacitation: A felon in prison cannot commit crimes while imprisoned.
2. Deterrence: The threat of punishment deters people from engaging in illegal acts.
3. Restitution: The felon is required to take some action to at least partially return the victim to the status quo ante.
4. Retribution: The felon harmed society; therefore society (or the direct victims) is entitled to inflict harm in return.
5. Rehabilitation: The punishment changes the felon to make him a better citizen afterwards. (The punishment can include mandatory vocational training, counseling, drug treatment, etc.)
Throughout the history of our criminal justice system we have placed more or less emphasis on these things. Sometimes we have a system that is heavily focused on rehabilitation and we implement a lot of different programs, other times in our history the funding for these programs has been cut and the focus is really on incapacitation.
Which of these five would you emphasis in your society?