Retributive justice

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/retributive-justice

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the key concept?'Just Deserts' theory posits that offenders deserve punishment based on their blameworthiness
2. What is the modern integration?Often combined with deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation in contemporary legal systems
3. Why does retributive justice say punishment should match the crime?It keeps the scales of justice balanced and shows that wrong actions deserve a fair response.
4. How does retributive justice differ from revenge?Revenge is personal and emotional, while retributive justice is neutral, follows rules, and aims for a fair outcome, not just making the offender suffer.

Lex Talionis: The principle of 'an eye for an eye,' advocating for punishments that mirror the offense.
Mens Rea: The mental state or intent of the offender at the time of the crime.
Actus Reus: The guilty act or the physical commission of a crime.