Consider three possible ways of treating Alex, whose pedophilia appears to be caused by a brain tumor:
Lock him up for the rest of his life, far away from any children he might be tempted to assault.
Punish him — whether by locking him up for some lesser time, or just by giving him forty lashes with a whip, or taking his stuff away — every time he assaults a child.
Remove his brain tumor and check on him periodically to see if it’s grown back.
If what you are interested in is preventing children from being assaulted, then either 1 or 3 is clearly superior to 2. Punishment is not reliable at preventing recidivism.
If what you are interested in is restoring Alex to his previous socially positive and non-pedophilic condition, 3 stands far above the other choices.
If what you are interested in is showing to the assaulted children and the public that the evil person who caused them harm is suffering retribution, then 1 or 2 are clearly superior to 3. (Although in the case of 1, you probably have to lock him up forever somewhere unpleasant, not just somewhere without kids.) Free medical treatment is not a clear expression of vengeance.
Consider three possible ways of treating Alex, whose pedophilia appears to be caused by a brain tumor:
Lock him up for the rest of his life, far away from any children he might be tempted to assault.
Punish him — whether by locking him up for some lesser time, or just by giving him forty lashes with a whip, or taking his stuff away — every time he assaults a child.
Remove his brain tumor and check on him periodically to see if it’s grown back.
If what you are interested in is preventing children from being assaulted, then either 1 or 3 is clearly superior to 2. Punishment is not reliable at preventing recidivism.
If what you are interested in is restoring Alex to his previous socially positive and non-pedophilic condition, 3 stands far above the other choices.
If what you are interested in is showing to the assaulted children and the public that the evil person who caused them harm is suffering retribution, then 1 or 2 are clearly superior to 3. (Although in the case of 1, you probably have to lock him up forever somewhere unpleasant, not just somewhere without kids.) Free medical treatment is not a clear expression of vengeance.