Final answer:
For a punishment to be effective, it must be undesirable, administered promptly, fit the crime, and be predictable, rather than necessarily severe. The correct answer is option: c. the punishment is severe
Step-by-step explanation:
In the context of punishment within the justice system, for a punishment to be effective, all of the following should typically occur except that the punishment is severe. Research and legal principles suggest that severity is not as critical as other factors for an effective punishment.
It is essential that a punishment is regarded as undesirable to the one being punished, administered promptly after the negative behavior, fitting the offense in a just manner, hence the punishment should fit the crime, and it should be predictable, setting an expectation that negative actions will certainly lead to negative consequences.
Severely punishing an individual without considering these other elements can lead to unjust outcomes and may not achieve the desired effect of deterrence or rehabilitation.