Yes, literal feuds. Cycles of tit-for-tat revenge that involve violence or are likely to escalate to violence unless the injured party (or their surviving relatives) perceive that “justice has been done” through state-imposed punishment. I lived in West Virginia, which such feuds were common before effective law enforcement was substituted for private revenge.
This is clearly not an argument for punishment in the case of victimless “crimes” or offenses unlikely to provoke escalating retaliation.
Literal feuds?
Murder isn’t exactly the most common crime.
Yes, literal feuds. Cycles of tit-for-tat revenge that involve violence or are likely to escalate to violence unless the injured party (or their surviving relatives) perceive that “justice has been done” through state-imposed punishment. I lived in West Virginia, which such feuds were common before effective law enforcement was substituted for private revenge.
This is clearly not an argument for punishment in the case of victimless “crimes” or offenses unlikely to provoke escalating retaliation.