Two Cheers for Vindictiveness
Punishment & Society, Vol. 2, p. 131, 2000
13 Pages Posted: 27 Aug 2009
Date Written: 200
Abstract
A vindictive person is one who desires to get even to seek revenge for wrongs sustained at the hands of others. Vindictiveness (the desire for revenge) is commonly condemned as irrational, immoral, and deserving of no place in civilized legal systems. It is here argued that this condemnation may be hasty - may often reflect more what we think we ought to say than what we actually feel and believe. After an attempt to rehabilitate, at least partially, the reputation of the vindictive passions, the article closes with some serious cautions with respect to the ultimate legitimacy of acting upon these passions.
Keywords: Revenge, sentencing, victim impact statements
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