Punishment Purpose Quotes

‘Sir, executions are intended to draw spectators,’ said Dr Johnson. ‘If they do not draw spectators, they don’t answer their purpose.’

In revenge and punishments we must have our eye not at the evill past, but the future good. That is: It is not lawfull to inflict punishment for any other end, but that the offender may be corrected, or that others warned by his punishment may become better

Punishment is not for revenge, but to lessen crime and reform the criminal.

The punishment of the wrongdoer is not designed as atonement for a crime; it is a solace to the individual who has suffered a private wrong.

A material resurrection seems strange and even absurd except for purposes of punishment, and all punishment which is to revenge rather than correct must be morally wrong, and when the World is at an end, what moral or warning purpose can eternal tortures answer?

Those greatly err who think that penalties are established only to punish crime. I hold that this is the least of the fruits which accrue there from to the state. For the greatest and the chief is the appeasing of the wrath of God, especially if the crime is directly against the majesty of God … strike awe into some by the punishment of others, to preserve some from being infected by others, to diminish the number of evil-doers, to make secure the life of the well-disposed

Prudence will punish to prevent crime, not to avenge it.

For a punishment to be just it should consist of only such gradations of intensity as suffice to deter men from committing crimes.

The end of punishment, therefore, is no other than to prevent the criminal from doing further injury to society, and to prevent others from committing the like offence. Such punishments, therefore, and such a mode of inflicting them, ought to be chosen, as will make the strongest and most lasting impressions on the minds of others, with the least torment to the body of the criminal

The purpose of punishment is fulfilled, crime is repressed by penalties of just, not tormenting, severity, its repetition is prevented, and hope is given for the reformation of the criminal.

We consider a prisoner unfortunate. He is unfortunate in two ways-because he has done something wrong and because he is deprived of his liberty. Therefore we should treat him kindly, because of his misfortune, for otherwise he would become hard and bitter and would not be sorry he had done wrong.

No one punishes the evil-doer under the notion, or for the reason, that he has done wrong -- only the unreasonable fury of a beast acts in that way. But he who desires to inflict rational punishment does not retaliate for a past wrong, for that which is done cannot be undone, but he has regard to the future, and is desirous that the man who is punished, and he who sees him punished, may be deterred from doing wrong again.

Punishments inflicted with signs of anger are useless.

The reformative effect of punishment is a belief that dies hard, chiefly I think, because it is so satisfying to our sadistic impulses.

Crime is not punished as an offense against God, but as prejudicial to society.

The purpose of punishment is to improve those who do the punishing--that is the final recourse of those who support punishment.

The object of punishment is to... lift the man up; to stamp out his bad nature and wicked disposition.

The punishment of criminals should be of use; when a man is hanged he is good for nothing.

The object of punishment is, prevention from evil; it never can be made impulsive to good.

It is as expedient that a wicked man be punished as that a sick man be cured by a physician; for all chastisement is a kind of medicine.