Punishment considered unacceptable due to the suffering inflicted by it

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cruel and unusual punishment</span>

Cruel and unusual punishment

<p><b>Cruel and unusual punishment</b> is a phrase in <a href="/en/Common_law" title="Common law" class="wl">common law</a> describing <a href="/en/Punishment" title="Punishment" class="wl">punishment</a> that is considered unacceptable due to the <a href="/en/Suffering" title="Suffering" class="wl">suffering</a>, <a href="/en/Pain" title="Pain" class="wl">pain</a>, or <a href="/en/Humiliation" title="Humiliation" class="wl">humiliation</a> it inflicts on the person subjected to the sanction.  The precise definition varies by jurisdiction, but typically includes punishments that are arbitrary, unnecessary, overly severe compared to the crime, or not generally accepted in society. </p>

<div class="shortdescription nomobile noexcerpt noprint searchaux" style="display:none" about="#mwt1">Punishment considered unacceptable due to the suffering inflicted by it</div>
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.sidebar{width:100%!important;clear:both;float:none!important;margin-left:0!important;margin-right:0!important}}</style><table class="sidebar nomobile nowraplinks plainlist"><tbody><tr><th class="sidebar-title"><a href="/en/Criminal_procedure" title="Criminal procedure" class="wl">Criminal procedure</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-above" style="font-weight:normal; padding:0 0 0.6em;">
Criminal trials and convictions</td></tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Rights of the accused</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Right_to_a_fair_trial" title="Right to a fair trial" class="wl">Fair trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Pre-trial" title="Pre-trial" class="mw-redirect wl">Pre-trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Speedy_trial" title="Speedy trial" class="wl">Speedy trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Jury_trial" title="Jury trial" class="wl">Jury trial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Right_to_counsel" title="Right to counsel" class="wl">Counsel</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Presumption_of_innocence" title="Presumption of innocence" class="wl">Presumption of innocence</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Exclusionary_rule" title="Exclusionary rule" class="wl">Exclusionary rule</a><sup><small>1</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Self-incrimination" title="Self-incrimination" class="wl">Self-incrimination</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Double_jeopardy" title="Double jeopardy" class="wl">Double jeopardy</a><sup><small>2</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Bail" title="Bail" class="wl">Bail</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Appeal" title="Appeal" class="wl">Appeal</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
<a href="/en/Verdict" title="Verdict" class="wl">Verdict</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Conviction" title="Conviction" class="wl">Conviction</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Acquittal" title="Acquittal" class="wl">Acquittal</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Not_proven" title="Not proven" class="wl">Not proven</a><sup><small>3</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Directed_verdict" title="Directed verdict" class="mw-redirect wl">Directed verdict</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
<a href="/en/Sentence_(law)" title="Sentence (law)" class="wl">Sentencing</a></th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Mandatory_sentencing" title="Mandatory sentencing" class="wl">Mandatory</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Suspended_sentence" title="Suspended sentence" class="wl">Suspended</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Custodial_sentence" title="Custodial sentence" class="wl">Custodial</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Periodic_detention" title="Periodic detention" class="wl">Periodic</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Discharge_(sentence)" title="Discharge (sentence)" class="wl">Discharge</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sentencing_guidelines" title="Sentencing guidelines" class="wl">Guidelines</a></li></ul>
</div>
<ul><li><a href="/en/Totality_principle" title="Totality principle" class="wl">Totality</a><sup><small>5,<span>&nbsp;</span>6</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Dangerous_offender" title="Dangerous offender" class="wl">Dangerous offender</a><sup><small>4,<span>&nbsp;</span>5</small></sup></li></ul>
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Capital_punishment" title="Capital punishment" class="wl">Capital punishment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Execution_warrant" title="Execution warrant" class="wl">Execution warrant</a></li></ul>
</div>
<ul><li><a href="/en/Cruel_and_unusual_punishment" title="Cruel and unusual punishment" class="wl">Cruel and unusual punishment</a></li></ul>
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Imprisonment" title="Imprisonment" class="wl">Imprisonment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Life_imprisonment" title="Life imprisonment" class="wl">Life imprisonment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Indefinite_imprisonment" title="Indefinite imprisonment" class="wl">Indefinite imprisonment</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Three-strikes_law" title="Three-strikes law" class="wl">Three-strikes law</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Post-sentencing</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Parole" title="Parole" class="wl">Parole</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Probation" title="Probation" class="wl">Probation</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Life_imprisonment_in_England_and_Wales" title="Life imprisonment in England and Wales" class="wl">Tariff</a><span>&nbsp;</span><sup><small>6</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Life_imprisonment_in_England_and_Wales" title="Life imprisonment in England and Wales" class="wl">Life licence</a><sup><small>6</small></sup></li>
<li><a href="/en/Criminal_justice" title="Criminal justice" class="wl">Criminal justice</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Exoneration" title="Exoneration" class="wl">Exoneration</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Habitual_offender" title="Habitual offender" class="wl">Habitual offender</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Miscarriage_of_justice" title="Miscarriage of justice" class="wl">Miscarriage of justice</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Pardon" title="Pardon" class="wl">Pardon</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Recidivism" title="Recidivism" class="wl">Recidivism</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Rehabilitation_(penology)" title="Rehabilitation (penology)" class="wl">Rehabilitation</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Restorative_justice" title="Restorative justice" class="wl">Restorative justice</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sex_offender_registry" title="Sex offender registry" class="wl">Sex offender registry</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Sexually_violent_predator_laws" title="Sexually violent predator laws" class="wl">Sexually violent predator laws</a><sup><small>1</small></sup></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Related areas of law</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><a href="/en/Civil_procedure" title="Civil procedure" class="wl">Civil procedure</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Category:Criminal_defenses" title="Category:Criminal defenses" class="wl">Criminal defenses</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Criminal_law" title="Criminal law" class="wl">Criminal law</a></li>
<li><a href="/en/Evidence_(law)" title="Evidence (law)" class="wl">Evidence</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><th class="sidebar-heading notheme" style="background:#aaddff; color:#000;">
Portals</th></tr><tr><td class="sidebar-content" style="padding-top:0.25em;;padding-bottom:0.75em;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><span class="noviewer"><a href="/en/File:Balance,_by_David.svg" class="mw-file-description image wl"><img loading="lazy"alt="icon" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/30px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png" decoding="async" data-file-width="606" data-file-height="558" data-file-type="drawing" height="28" width="30" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/46px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Balance%2C_by_David.svg/61px-Balance%2C_by_David.svg.png 2x"></a></span><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Portal:Law" title="Portal:Law" class="wl">Law<span> </span>portal</a></li></ul>
</div></td>
</tr><tr><td class="sidebar-below" style="padding:0.4em;border-top:1px #aaa solid;font-weight:normal;font-size:smaller; font-size:100%;border-bottom:1px solid #aaa;">
<div class="hlist ">
<ul><li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>1</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_the_United_States" title="Courts of the United States" class="mw-redirect wl">US courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>2</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span>Not in <a href="/en/Courts_of_England_and_Wales" title="Courts of England and Wales" class="wl">English/Welsh courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>3</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_Scotland" title="Courts of Scotland" class="wl">Scottish courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>4</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span>English/Welsh courts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>5</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_Canada" title="Courts of Canada" class="mw-redirect wl">Canadian courts</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-size:85%;"><sup><small>6</small></sup><span>&nbsp;</span><a href="/en/Courts_of_the_United_Kingdom" title="Courts of the United Kingdom" class="mw-redirect wl">UK courts</a></span></li></ul>
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Cruel and unusual punishment is a phrase in common law describing punishment that is considered unacceptable due to the suffering, pain, or humiliation it inflicts on the person subjected to the sanction.  The precise definition varies by jurisdiction, but typically includes punishments that are arbitrary, unnecessary, overly severe compared to the crime, or not generally accepted in society.  