section_path: Theories/Instrumental theories of justice
section_name: Instrumental theories of justice
paragraph_text: Instrumental theories of justice
  
  Instrumental theories of justice look at the consequences of punishment for wrongdoing, looking at questions such as:
  
  In broad terms, utilitarian theories look forward to the future consequences of punishment, retributive theories look back to particular acts of wrongdoing and attempt to match them with appropriate punishment, and restorative theories look at the needs of victims and society and seek to repair the harms from wrongdoing.