Law
The Principle of Proportionality in Sentencing Law
Quick fact
The United States Supreme Court has held that the Eighth Amendment's ban on 'cruel and unusual punishments' includes a requirement that sentences be proportionate to the crime—yet this protection applies most strongly to the death penalty and juvenile life without parole, not to all prison sentences.
Why this is interesting
Why does a prison sentence of 20 years for stealing a loaf of bread feel unjust, while the same sentence for armed robbery might feel appropriate? What makes the difference?