ABSTRACT
Deterrence has traditionally been understood as the primary alternative to retributivism. Both have been at loggerheads for literally centuries. It is easy to see why. Retributivists give special attention to a criminal’s desert for a past injustice: it is primarily a backward-looking theory of punishment. Deterrence is primarily a forward-looking theory of punishment: deterrence proponents give special attention to deterring future criminality. Therefore, deterrence offers us a very different focus and understanding of the purpose of punishment. This chapter will clarify the leading theories of deterrence to determine their promise and potential problems.
