There is no denying that the ultimate goal for practicing penalty is to correct thewrongdoers, reform them into law-abiding citizens, thereby diminishing the potentialcrimes and enhancing social order. Only after a thorough analysis of the criminalsmotivation for committing the crime, can we take the right remedial steps to lead thecriminal to make a fresh start. Thus, it is essential that the special circumstances ofeach single crime be taken into consideration in times of applying the correspondingpunishments. Recently, a piece of news that a waitress in Hubei Province who killedtownship officials spared jail in spite of excessive defense has provoked ferventdebates across the country. According to certain experts, being manic depressive, heract was in self-defense and she surrendered to the police, which led to her innocencerather than punishment. The waitress should have face harsh death penalty, but afterjudging a multitude of specific factors, the verdict of her diminished responsibility notonly testified leniency and protected the disadvantaged, but more fully realized justice.Viewed from this angle, paying attention to the special circumstances of an individualcdme demonstrates a progress of human civilization and the humanitarian spirit.Admittedly, the view that it is more proper to design fixed punishments for each type ofcrime is reasonable to some extent. The principle that the law is irrespective of personsi can be observed through fixed punishments. For instance, with regards to governmentalofficials corruption cases, whoever commits that may end up serving term in prison.While for those offenders infringing on others personal rights, such as intentional murders, they are prone to death penalty or other severe imprisonment. Comparedwith handling punishments on a case-by-case basis, classifying crimes into categoriesand applying penalty accordingly on them does uphold the majesty of law and preservelegal sanctity. Yet, fixed punishments get eclipsed in terms of individualized and pointed measures for special characteristics of each case. The lack of discretion due to the rigid regulations of punishments sometimes denies the true realization of justice.
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