CRITICISMS OF PROTECTION OF SOCIETY ONLY RELEVANT FOR SOME CRIMES Some types of crime, such as rape, may be committed again and again by the same person. In such cases restricting the liberty of the criminal will minimize the chance of the crime being committed again. However, other cnmes are one-ofi. For instance, a wife with a lifetime's resentment of her husband may finally get up the courage to poison his muesli. This woman may pose no threat whatsoever to anyone else. She committed a very serious crime, but this is not one that she would ever be likely to recommit. For such a woman protection of society would not provide a justification for punishing her. However, in practice there is no easy way to identify those criminals who will not reoffend.