# Name For People Who Don't Believe in Retribution. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 22, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952 "2010-04-22T02:23:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jim\_B](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jim_b/32/4338_2.png) [@Jim\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jim_B)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/1 "2010-04-22T02:23:29Z")
As I’ve said many times before on these boards, I don’t believe in retribution. Sorry, it’s just the way I am I guess. (In hs, we learned Retribution, Deterrence, Incapacitation and Rehabilitation were the traditional purposes of punishment–and I do believe in the other three naturally:).) Anyways, is there a _name_ for someone who believes as I do–i.e., **no** retribution? I basically believe Rehabilitation/Incapacitation are the _main_ duties of government and society. Yeah, and I am looking for a _technical_ term. Please don’t give me something like a _“rehabilitationalist”_;). Thank you in advance to all who reply:) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/2 "2010-04-22T02:57:33Z")
If theories of punishment that support the retribution principle are [classified as retributivism](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology_of_punishment), then it appears that what you are is an [anti-retributivist](http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=anti-retributivism&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8). ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/3 "2010-04-22T04:08:11Z")
Author C.S. Lewis called people who believed in treating the psychopathy that caused criminal behavior “humanitarians” in his defense of the retributive system. ([Cite](http://www.angelfire.com/pro/lewiscs/humanitarian.html)). ---
**Author:** ![Hello\_Again](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/85e7bf/32.png) [@Hello\_Again](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hello_Again)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/4 "2010-04-22T22:50:25Z")
Deterrence, incapacitation, and rehabilitation are usually lumped as “Utilitarian” ends for punishment, in that they all go towards the idea, associated with Jeremy Betham and others, that punishment should have some socially beneficial result for the punished as well as society as a whole. > **[Sociology of punishment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sociology_of_punishment)** > > South Asia > Middle East > Europe > North America BTW, you can read Bentham’s “Theory of Legislation” which is about penal law, as well as other topics, free on Google Books: > **[Theory of Legislation](https://books.google.com/books?id=30EWAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=jeremy%2Bbetham%2Btheory%2Bof%2Blegislation&source=bl&ots=q7F7_90x-D&sig=Le3wxR22C8lGAVpBCZSCcsq35n0&hl=en&ei=htHQS_nYLoL78AarsOWGDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false)** ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/5 "2010-04-24T06:31:20Z")
Very simply the retributive system doesn’t work because it is an intrinsic continuation of a shared negative intention. A cause and effect. Kharma, so to speak, but that is a loaded term. I wonder when the west will realize the ever presence of causation, by simple action and reaction, rather than juju-ing it up with the Sweeet Kharmic coating. Retribute Hate with Love. The only end to the chain.Change your mind-Change everything. A buddhist… perhaps is the name. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/6 "2010-04-24T06:39:19Z")
That is the gift that the Buddha gave everyone. The end to suffering. Kharmic or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/7 "2010-04-24T07:25:33Z")
Easy prey? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/8 "2010-04-24T08:09:03Z")
Easy to be prey. Hard to be disciplined. Stumble and you’'re the sacrifice… too many Pauls not enough Jesuses. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2010, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-dont-believe-in-retribution/536952/9 "2010-04-24T08:14:24Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > That is the gift that the Buddha gave everyone. The end to suffering. Kharmic or otherwise. You’re confusing Buddha and Thanatos again.