The criminal justice system has four perspectives: retribution, incapacitation, deterrence and rehabilitation. These four perspectives have distinct policies and objectives with varying rules and regulations.
The first perspective is Retribution. Retribution is the idea that a criminal should get a punishment that is equal to the seriousness of the offense they committed (Bedau, 1978). Retaliation aims to punish perpetrators and deter them from repeating similar actions in the future. It is the conviction that, once a crime has been committed, retribution is required to restore justice to the world. The perpetrator is held accountable for their conduct and is required to pay a fine in proportion to the damage they created. The death penalty, three-strikes statutes, and mandatory minimum sentences are examples of laws that favor retribution. The
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Incapacitation includes expelling criminals from society in order to stop them from committing new offenses. This viewpoint seeks to safeguard society against hazardous people. Policies that favor incapacitation include life without parole, extended jail terms, and the need of incarceration for specific offenses. Deterrence is a subsequent perspective. By making potential criminals fearful of punishment, deterrence aims to stop crime. According to this perspective, people will be less likely to commit a crime if they are aware that there would be serious consequences. Laws requiring mandatory sentences, and the use of the death penalty are all examples of policies that encourage deterrence. Lastly there is rehabilitation. The notion behind rehabilitation is that criminals may alter their conduct and turn into citizens who follow the law. This point of view places a strong emphasis on education, job training, and mental health care to