It is a lot more important than just deterring similar acts. A failure to punish after having made a commitment to punish removes a big part of the deterrent effectiveness of all kinds of punishment for all kinds of ‘bad things’. For that matter, it may decrease trust that the government/society will keep its other commitments—pension obligations, for example.
yeah, punishing agents for doing ‘bad things’ as a deterrence against other agents acting similarly is quite rational.
It is a lot more important than just deterring similar acts. A failure to punish after having made a commitment to punish removes a big part of the deterrent effectiveness of all kinds of punishment for all kinds of ‘bad things’. For that matter, it may decrease trust that the government/society will keep its other commitments—pension obligations, for example.