I replied on a work break without a KB so my reply was briefer than I would have fully liked.

So, there’s this problem of free will… I kind of don’t believe in it, but I think I personally need and we socially need the concept of personal accountability to function, at the very least because social sanctions and social repercussion DO effect behavior.

At the same time, though, we do make allowances for intent and circumstances. A drunk driver will more likely get manslaughter than murder because the intent is there. An wife may get a lighter sentence for killing an abusive husband. I think we keep extending the totality of the circumstances to the persons entire life, we would be aiming more for rehabilitation than punishment, and I don’t see anything wrong with that. However, if someone is not rehabilitated and resocialized and can’t be trusted not to commit heinous crimes, then it makes sense to keep them locked up.