The Concepts of Retribution & Deterrance (WJEC Eduqas GCSE History): Revision Note

What are Retribution and Deterrence, and Why Were They Important in Punishment? - Summary 

Retribution is the belief that criminals should be punished as payback for their crimes as a way of giving justice to the victim and restoring balance. In the past, this often meant harsh punishments like whipping, branding, or execution. 

Deterrence is the idea that punishment should discourage others from committing crimes. This was achieved through public and severe punishments, such as the stocks, pillories, or hangings, which aimed to frighten people into obeying the law.

Over time, punishments became less brutal, focusing more on reform, protection, and discipline. Governments and monarchs used punishment not just for revenge or deterrence but also to maintain order, protect society, and encourage moral behaviour.

Retribution

Retribution in the Medieval Era

• Retribution in the medieval era changed over time from being private to being state-organised 

• Punishments in the Anglo-Saxon era were aimed at repaying wrongdoing or to balance harm caused by others, including 

  • The wergild system made offenders pay money to the victims or their families 

    • This is a very early form of retribution 

  • Blood feuds 

    • Focused on private or personal revenge 

• Later in the Medieval era, corporal punishment and execution were used as punishments for  

  • Treason 

  • Arson 

• After the Norman Conquest, punishment became controlled by the king’s justice rather than local revenge 

Retribution in the 16th and 17th Centuries 

• Retribution continued to be harsh in the 16th and 17th centuries 

  • The Tudors continued to use 

    • Whipping 

    • Branding 

    • Execution 

• Religious crimes like heresy were punished by 

  • Burning 

  • Beheading 

• Public punishments continued with the use of 

  • Stocks 

  • Pillories 

• These punishments often humiliated offenders in front of the community 

  • They were seen as a form of moral repayment 

Retribution in the 18th and 19th Centuries 

• Retribution in the 18th and 19th centuries changed dramatically 

• The ‘Bloody Code’ and its use of the death penalty as punishment for over 200 crimes showed how retribution in this period not only continued, but expanded 

  • Public executions at places like Tyburn were seen as just punishments for crimes 

• However, as the 19th century continued, attitudes towards retribution changed, and it became less popular

  • Reform and rehabilitation became the main focus 

    • This was due to the influence of individuals such as John Howard, Sir George O Paul and Elizabeth Fry 

• Punishments, including the silent system in prisons and hard labour, became more common 

  • This reflected a dramatic change in attitudes towards the end of the 19th century 

Retribution in the 20th and 21st Centuries 

• The focus on retribution continued to decline in the 20th and 21st centuries 

  • The reform of criminals became the main focus 

• Long prison sentences and life imprisonment became the punishment for serious crimes 

• In 1965, the death penalty was abolished 

  • This reflected a move away from extreme retributive justice 

• The focus on reform increased in this period 

  • Punishments became more about helping the local community and improving criminals' lives, such as 

    • Open prisons 

    • Community service and ‘community payback’ 

Deterrence

Deterrence in the Medieval Era

• In the medieval era, punishments were used to stop people from committing crimes. hey were 

  • In public 

  • Harsh 

  • Showed the consequences of crime 

• Such punishments included 

  • Stocks 

  • Whippings 

  • Pillories 

  • Hangings

• Deterrence in this era relied on 

  • Visibility

  • Religion 

• The idea of deterrence continued into the later eras, but the methods changed  

Deterrence in the 16th and 17th Centuries 

• Deterrence became a central part of Tudor rule 

• Punishments were used to prevent crime, such as 

  • Flogging 

  • Branding 

  • Execution 

• The crimes of vagrancy and treason created many issues for the Tudor monarchs, and they relied upon deterrence to ensure

  • Control

    • So that subjects followed religious laws and changes  

  • Peace  

    • There was an increase in crime as poverty, vagrancy and unemployment grew

  • Loyalty 

    • As rebellions were common in these periods and they caused political instability for the monarchs 

Deterrence in the 18th and 19th Centuries 

• Deterrence reached its height under the ‘Bloody Code’ 

  • Harsh punishments were used to discourage crime, including 

    • Hanging 

    • Transportation 

• In the 19th century, punishments that focused on deterrence shifted from the death penalty and transportation to prison sentences 

• The use of the silent and separation systems in prisons was designed to deter criminals 

  • These systems were designed to be 

    • Harsh 

    • Boring 

    • Lonely 

Deterrence in the 20th and 21st Centuries 

• Although deterrence continued into the 20th and 21st centuries, its focus changed 

  • Deterrence through imprisonment and strict sentencing continued, as life sentences were used for murder 

• The focus moved toward crime prevention as alternative methods were created through 

  • Prevention 

  • Education 

  • Community service 

• In the 20th and 21st centuries, deterrence has been used in balance with rehabilitation and prevention