LogFAQs > #906392209

That highly depends on what you think benefits society. The many victims of rape, murder, theft don't think that mere deterrence are beneficial to society. They want to see wrongdoers punished.

That is why there are always recurring calls for lengthier sentencing in the United States, much of it far exceeding the necessities of deterrence.

And we actually have very little idea whether deterrence as a sole guiding principle is truly beneficial to society without some measure of retribution intervening, as people will seek revenge themselves or put those into power who will seek revenge for them. Case in point is the Brock Turner case yet again, where the judge who likely deterred Brock with the sentence he was given (this is of course speculation, but most sex offenders do not reoffend, and he as not as of our knowledge in 2018) was voted out of office for failing to implement the retribution which the community believed it was owed.