Describe the various goals of punishment that psychologists have identified in the recent decades.

What will be an ideal response?

Answers may vary.The crime control model of criminal justice has heavily influenced police, prosecutors, and many judges over the past 40 years. Differing viewpoints illustrate the multiple purposes of punishment. Psychologists have identified at least seven different goals:• General deterrence. The punishment of an offender and the subsequent publicity that comes with it are assumed to discourage other potential lawbreakers. Some advocates of the death penalty, for example, believe that fear of death may be our strongest motivation; hence, they believe that the death penalty serves as a general deterrent to murder.• Individual deterrence. Punishment of the offender is presumed to keep that person from committing other crimes in the future. Some theories assume that many criminals lack adequate internal inhibitors; hence, punitive sanctions must be used to teach them that their behavior will be controlled-if not by them, then by society.• Incapacitation. If a convicted offender is sent to prison, society can feel safe from that felon while he or she is confined. One influential position sees a major function of incapacitation as simply to age the criminal-an understandable goal, given that the rate of offending declines with age.• Retribution. Society believes that offenders should not benefit from their crimes; rather, they should receive their "just deserts," or "that which is justly deserved." The moral cornerstone of punishment is that it should be administered to people who deserve it as a consequence of their misdeeds.• Moral outrage. Punishment can give society a means of catharsis and relief from the feelings of frustration, hurt, loss, and anger that result from being victims of crime; it promotes a sense of satisfaction that offenders have paid for what they have done to others.• Rehabilitation. One goal in sentencing has always been to help offenders recognize the error of their ways and develop new skills, values, and lifestyles so they can return to normal life and become law abiding. This has been a primary consideration in punishing juveniles.• Restitution. Wrongdoers should compensate victims for their damages and losses. Typical statutes require that defendants pay for victims' out-of-pocket expenses, property damage, and other monetary losses. Restitution is often a condition of probation.