We all in almost every society accept the fact that punishment is a must for any criminal.
But if you try to search the root of this, can’t you see that the punishment is a way of revenge? Ideally the punishment should be a way of preventing the crime happening again. The death penalty should only apply to people who cannot be corrected. In other words, who cannot be rescued or salvaged.
If you see the analogy for the society as an electronic or mechanical system, criminals could be represented as bad or malfunctioning parts. Then, when a part is malfunctioning, what do you do? Try to repair it. If it doesn’t work or if it is beyond repair, we remove it or destroy it.
Similarly, punishment should be a way of repairing or destroying if it is to be in total efficiency.
OK! Now we know what the punishment should be!
Therefore, the best punishment for any crime is a way of rectifying the problematic or malfunctioning mind.
Accordingly, in absolute sense, the criminal should be clearly convinced that it is a crime and shouldn’t do. That means the criminals mid should be brought up to the level of a law-abiding citizen’s mind. Or if it cannot be done, destroy the criminal. In other words we must repair the circuit component or destroy the useless component. Or may be it can be used for other suitable areas useful.
Conclusion: Best punishment is making the offender purely convinced that the crime is wrong and when this is beyond repair, use him for other useful purposes or destroy him if it’s not worth even in that level.
I know the reality doesn’t work this way as long as we have feelings play a major role in making the society.
