6. Justifications of punishment and questions of penal legitimacy
6. Justifications of punishment and questions of penal legitimacy
- David Scott
Abstract
This chapter examines the three main ways to approach the justifications of punishment. These are consequentialist philosophies that look to justify punishment in terms of preventing future offending; retributive philosophies that focus on responding proportionately to the actual offence; and abolitionist philosophies which maintain that punishment cannot be either morally or politically justified.