I think the whole reason people get confused about this is because most of us were raised to believe that punishments and consequences are supposed to somehow reflect what people "deserve". Like the idea that if you hurt someone, then you "deserve" to go to jail.

But "deserve" is an antiquated concept that needs to die.

And instead, we need to start seeing punishment as PURELY PRAGMATIC, such that we don't send people to jail because they "deserve" it, but simply because if a person proves themself to be dangerous, then it is safer for the rest of us if they are quarantined.

And once we start to see "punishment" and all forms of "justice" itself as purely pragmatic, then we can realize that the most pragmatic action is often to intervene earlier up the chain of events. If we satisfy people's needs and desires before they become harmful frustrations, that is often the most effective way to protect ourselves.