what principle states that the punishment should fit the crime
Punishment A principle often mentioned with respect to the degree of punishment to be meted out is that the punishment should match the crime.[22][23][24] One standard for measurement is the degree to which a crime affects others or society. Measurements of the degree of seriousness of a crime have been developed.[25] A felony is generally considered to be a crime of "high seriousness", while a misdemeanor is not.
Eye for an eye The principle is found in Babylonian Law.[5][6] If it is surmised that in societies not bound by the rule of law, if a person was hurt, then the injured person (or their relative) would take vengeful retribution on the person who caused the injury. The retribution might be worse than the crime, perhaps even death. Babylonian law put a limit on such actions, restricting the retribution to be no worse than the crime, as long as victim and offender occupied the same status in society. As with blasphemy or lèse-majesté (crimes against a god or a monarch), crimes against one's social betters were punished more severely.