Changes

==Definition==

==Definition==

In [[ethics]] and [[law]], "Let the punishment fit the crime" is the principle that the severity of penalty for a misdeed or wrongdoing should be reasonable and [[proportionate]] to the severity of the infraction. The [[concept]] is common to most [[cultures]] throughout the world. Its [[presence]] in the ancient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish Jewish] [[culture]] is shown by its inclusion in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah law of Moses], specifically in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.19 Deuteronomy 19]:17-21, and [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.21 Exodus 21]:23-21:27, which includes the punishments of "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.21] That phrasing in turn resembles the older [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi Code of Hammurabi]. Many other [[documents]] [[reflect]] this [[value]] in the world's [[cultures]]. However, the [[judgment]] of whether a punishment is appropriately severe can vary greatly between cultures and [[individuals]].

In [[ethics]] and [[law]], "Let the punishment fit the crime" is the principle that the severity of penalty for a misdeed or wrongdoing should be reasonable and [[proportionate]] to the severity of the infraction. The [[concept]] is common to most [[cultures]] throughout the world. Its [[presence]] in the ancient [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish Jewish] [[culture]] is shown by its inclusion in the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torah law of Moses], specifically in [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Deutoronomy#Chapter_.19 Deuteronomy 19]:17-21, and [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.21 Exodus 21]:23-21:27, which includes the punishments of "life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot."[http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Book_of_Exodus#Chapter_.21] That phrasing in turn resembles the older [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_of_Hammurabi Code of Hammurabi]. Many other [[documents]] [[reflect]] this [[value]] in the world's [[cultures]]. However, the [[judgment]] of whether a punishment is appropriately severe can vary greatly between cultures and [[individuals]].

<center>For lessons on the related topic of '''''[[Vengeance]]''''', follow [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Vengeance '''''this link'''''].</center>

<center>For lessons on the related topic of '''''[[Vengeance]]''''', follow [http://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Vengeance '''''this link'''''].</center>

[[Proportionality]] requires that the level of punishment be scaled [[relative]] to the severity of the offending [[behavior]]. However, this does not mean that the punishment has to be [[equivalent]] to the [[crime]]. A retributive [[system]] must punish severe crime more harshly than minor crime, but retributivists differ about how harsh or soft the system should be overall.

[[Proportionality]] requires that the level of punishment be scaled [[relative]] to the severity of the offending [[behavior]]. However, this does not mean that the punishment has to be [[equivalent]] to the [[crime]]. A retributive [[system]] must punish severe crime more harshly than minor crime, but retributivists differ about how harsh or soft the system should be overall.