Reading Comprehension

PT105 · S3 · P2 · Q8 Appropriate Punishments

A free, expert breakdown of this official LSAT Reading Comprehension question.

Save & drill this skill — build targeted practice sets from questions like this one
Video walkthroughs — watch every question solved step by step
81 official LSATs — as questions, timed sections & full-length tests

Start practicing free

Many of us can conceive of penalties that seem disproportionate to the crimes they are intended to punish.

Topic

The rationales behind criminal punishment—should punishment be based on societal benefit or on the crime’s severity?

Framework

Answer / Explain

Main Point

The passage explores why we feel certain punishments are more appropriate than others and discusses whether these intuitions are grounded in the idea of justice (proportionality) or ultimately in benefit to society. The passage leans toward the idea that even our sense of "just" punishment is rooted in societal benefit. *Most Valuable Sentence:* The final sentence of the passage sums up the main point:

P1: The Intuitive "Fit" of Punishment

Kicks things off by giving examples of punishments that just “feel” out of proportion to the crimes—either way too harsh or way too lenient—and wonders where these gut-level reactions come from.

P2: Two Main Rationales for Punishment

Lays out that there are two big reasons usually given for why we punish criminals—the “for the good of society” rationale (deterrence, public safety) and the “because it’s deserved” or retributive approach (punishment should fit the crime). The author points out that the second, retributive, rationale is more controversial.

P3: Problems with Only Considering Social Benefit

Explains that if we ONLY cared about benefitting society, super harsh penalties for small crimes might make sense. But we still feel that just isn’t right, suggesting we care about “appropriateness” or proportionality—elements missing from the social benefit view, but central to retributive justice.

Which one of the following most accurately states the main point of the passage?

Of the two main rationales
Too Strong
Too Strong: more fundamental Contradicted, if anything In the last paragraph, the author is saying that the second rationale (which is the more retributivist one) seems to be "grounded in the first", making the first rationale (which is about societal benefit) seem like the more fundamental one. She also says that "the retributive nature disappears", so that seems like the opposite of "the retributive rationale is the more fundamental".
7% picked this
Although social benefit appears to
Too Strong: inadequacy Wrong Emphasis
The author does not argue for the retributivist rationale. It seems like we're forced to accept that rationale in the 3rd paragraph, but then in the 4th paragraph the author rescues the relevance of the societal benefit rationale, saying that our intuitions about appropriate punishments are really balancing both rationales.
5% picked this
Because the retributivist rationale for
Wrong Emphasis
Just like (B), this answer makes it seem like the author landed on "the retributivist rationale" is the correct one, but the author's final paragraph is saying our notions of fairness come from balancing severity of crime with the harm to criminal / benefit to society of the punishment. The author is basically saying that our sense of societal benefit / harm to criminal is what informs our intuitions about whether a punishment is or isn't proportionate.
6% picked this
Because the rationale that punishment
Wrong Emphasis
This answer choice makes it sound like the author landed on "societal benefit" is the winner. But the final paragraph is saying, "it's the combo of the two things (societal benefit of punishment + severity of crime) that informs our judgment of whether a penalty is fair"
2% picked this
Correct
Although it appears better able
Why this is right
The warm-up clause to this answer choice describes the author's discussion in the 3rd paragraph, where it appears like we kind of have to accept that our intuitions are coming from the second (severity) rationale. And the main clause to this answer describes the author's takeaways in the 4th paragraph, particularly the language in the second to last sentence of the passage.
Skill tested: Main Point · how this choice captures the passage's function is the move to repeat next time.
79% picked this

Continue the review in LSAT Lab

Save this question, watch the video walkthrough, and drill similar questions in your LSAT Lab account.

Save and practice this skill

LSAT Lab

Turn this review into a targeted study plan.

Save this question, drill more like it, watch the video walkthrough, and track your progress in your LSAT Lab account.

Start practicing free