Deserving is irrelevant in my opinion. I believe the justice system is meant to protect us, rehabilitate when possible. The call for vengeance is a base and foul human emotion which should not be glorified as it is part of the reason we need such a strong state (look at Israel and Palestine to see a modern example of what vengeance has done for society).
The court system should be cold and distant and simply ask before doing something "What will this accomplish?"

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"It's never over... BOY!"
The Tall Man, Phantasm III