Deterrence and its Assessment in the Philosophy of Punishment

Public opinion is always in need of justification beyond the mere natural propensity to punishment. Consequentialists consider punishment as a "necessary evil" that its legitimacy lies in the consequences resulting from its implementation and not in the idea of inherent virtue in this phenomenon. Utilitarianisms have recognized several types of deterrence according to which the suffering resulting from the imposition of penalty would deter persistent and potential criminals from committing crime. However, despite the significant advantages of this theory, relying merely on the deterrent function of punishment, one cannot be sure that, he achieved a proper justification for the legitimacy of punishment. This article tries to assess the function of deterrence theory through various criteria such as the accepted principles of the criminal justice system, economic and social conditions of crime, and different types of offenders.