[monomyth]

Retribution provides almost no societal benefit. Most of society doesn’t know or care about any individual crime. Rehabilitation of a single member however will benefit all of society, as you can’t predict all possible social interactions of a single person.

[BoingBoomTschak]

Social order, the people wronged want to know that the culprit suffered for it, otherwise said people will start to feel the judicial system is disconnected from justice itself.

I mean, why do you think Lex Talionis is that historically universal?

[ClumsyPilot]

> Social order

The caste system and human sacrifice also provide social order. Medieval system of peasants and lords and kings provided social order. Spanish inquisition and torture provide social order.

[vidarh]

For my part, I consider inflicting suffering to be fundamentally immoral, because the "moral" justification for retribution relies on the notion of free will, and there is no rational case for free will.

[rustcleaner]

That is religion. The belief in an eye for an eye to appease Ahura Mazda™, lest our blessings of good fortune run dry next glowing season!

[BoingBoomTschak]

Come on, religion spawns from the culture it's created in, not the opposite.