What is the rationale behind criminal punishment?

Answer by  coxdjustinuseless (123)

Punishment when a crime has been committed goes back to the bible. It states and eye for and eye or hand for a hand. If you where caught stealing they cut that hand off.

Answer by  John (9008)

In theory, it serves two main purposes. First of all, there is the idea of specific deterrence, which means that the person being punished will be deterred from committing another crime. The other purpose is called general deterrence. This means that seeing someone else punished for criminal acts will keep others in the community from doing these acts.