Final answer:
True, legislation allows for discretionary sentencing because the appropriate punishment for a crime depends on the unique circumstances of each case, including factors like severity, defendant's history, and societal impact.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is True: Legislation does not impose a fixed sanction or sentence for each crime due to the unique factors present in every instance of criminal activity. Judges and juries consider a range of elements when determining an appropriate punishment, including the severity of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, the impact on the victims, and broader social considerations. The Code of Hammurabi introduced the idea of proportionate punishment, yet even in ancient times, social class influenced sentencing.
In modern legal systems, discretionary sentencing guidelines allow for flexibility, acknowledging that each case has its own complex circumstances. This complexity is evident in the fact that, while crime prevention is a public good and efforts are made to increase the costs associated with committing crimes—including opportunity costs—decisions on criminal justice policies, such as incarceration, rehabilitation, or restorative justice, depend on a balance of costs and benefits that vary according to the specific context of each crime.