Punish consistently, but not severely

Well we never thought we’d write a Good Point about punishment! But, whilst we’re optimists in believing that people are innately honourable, we’re also realists in that some will let you down if they feel they can get away with it.

We were interested by a recent criminal sentencing experiment in Washington, USA; which, amid inadequate prison capacity, sought a more cost-effective retribution system whereby punishment was much less severe, but delivered swiftly and with certainty.

The experiment was based on 18th Century British philosopher, Jeremy Bentham’s theory that “people are deterred more by their likelihood of getting punished than by the severity of the punishment they might face if they get caught”. It turns out Bentham was right! The 12-month Washington experiment evidenced that not only did the new system reduce the both the likelihood and seriousness of re-offending, with a stunning 84% drop in offenders being sent to prison.

So, what’s the learning point for us as leaders? We think the key message is by tackling wrongdoing head on, with consistency and without delay, the chance of ‘nipping the problem in the bud’ is highest.