The Structure of Liberty: Justice and the Rule of Law  Randy E.
Barnett an excerpt from...  Chapter Eleven Fighting Crime
Without Punishment  The most obvious objection to relying on
self-defense - both traditional and extended - and restitution
to prevent and rectify rights violations, is that these measures
will be inadequate to deter criminals. And, while it must be
conceded that these measures will not deter every criminal, the
seriousness of this objection depends on comparing a society
governed by the entire liberal conception of justice, of which
rights of self-defense and restitution are but a part, with one
governed by the types of institutions we presently have. While
punishment may be viewed by retributivists as an end in itself,
I deterring criminals by threatening them with punishment is
only a means to prevent crime. But deterrence is neither the
only, nor the most effective, means to prevent crime, though
sometimes we seem to forget this. Crime prevention means taking
measures so that a crime n