What is the primary purpose of the criminal system?

The primary purpose of the criminal justice system is to punish the wrongdoer for the crime committed. This function aligns with the principles of retribution and deterrence, which are fundamental to the justice system. Retribution focuses on ensuring that individuals who commit crimes face consequences proportional to their actions, thereby upholding societal norms and values. Deterrence aims to discourage both the offender and others in society from engaging in similar behavior in the future.

While other aspects, such as rehabilitation and prevention, are considered important goals within the system, they serve as secondary objectives. Rehabilitation focuses on reforming offenders to prevent future criminal behavior, and prevention aims to address the root causes of crime to lower incidents. However, the immediate and foundational purpose of the criminal system lies in addressing and meting out justice for the crimes that have already been committed, ensuring accountability and restoring order to society.