 Most contemporary retributivists accept both the positive and the negative desert claims. Illustrating with the rapist case from  section 1:  he may not be punished more than he deserves for the rape he committed, but he deserves a reasonably harsh sentence for his rape and he ought to be given the sentence he deserves, even though he is already incapacitated and he need not be punished in any serious way to contribute to general deterrence.