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Aristotle is another renowned philosopher who waded into the discourse about punishment and Mercy. Aristotle used “Nicomachean Ethics” to discuss virtue and justice, advancing the school of thought that punishment should be proportional or commensurate to an individual’s offense (Metz & Metz, 2022). According to Aristotle, justice entails ensuring every person gets what is due to them (Metz & Metz, 2022). Aristotle also posited that punishment serves two purposes. First, it seeks to deter people from embracing harmful actions. Second, it aims to restore the balance of justice disrupted by harm or offense (Metz & Metz, 2022). As such, to ensure these objectives are attained, Aristotle argues that the punishment leveled for an offense should be commensurate to the seriousness of the offense. Aristotle’s conceptualization of proportionate punishment was informed by the desire to promote equity and fairness (Metz & Metz, 2022). According to Aristotle, individuals should be perceived and treated as per their actions and moral culpability (Metz & Metz, 2022). By suggesting this, Aristotle was acknowledging that varying offenses cause varying levels of harm and have different moral significance. In line with this, punishment must be tailored to reflect the seriousness of the offense as well as the severity of the harm imposed by those affected by it (Metz & Metz, 2022). Aristotle’s emphasis on proportional punishment also considers the notion of deterrence. By guaranteeing that the punishment leveled for an offense matches its severity and harm, likely offenders will be dissuaded from perpetrating similar actions due to the apprehension of dealing

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Criminal justice case