The concept of justice is both recognized and misunderstood throughout the world. The Oxford English Dictionary defines justice as “the quality of being (morally) just or virtuous.” For such a brief definition, it is not improbable to assume that the term justice is superficial. On the contrary, this ancient term might have started with a single, simple meaning, but developed many more throughout its existence. The way civilizations have evolved has in turn forced the word to evolve. Due to this evolution of civilizations, the current state of justice has been lost and it is important to remember its features. Many branches of justice now exist and it is possible to feel overwhelmed when searching for its true definition. Observation of the term justice presents a plethora of opinions on its precise meaning. In order to create a solid understanding of justice, it is necessary to analyze some of its important branches: punishment, restoration and distribution. The first step begins with punishment. In order to achieve a unified definition of justice, it is important to examine retributive justice in depth. Robinson provides a clear answer when he states that “people often conceptualize justice as holding the guilty accountable for their actions” (337). In other words, the person who committed a crime has obtained an unfair advantage to which he was not entitled under the law and deserves punishment. Likewise, it also serves to reinforce the rules that have been broken (Maiese “Retributive Justice” par. 4). Retributive justice is particularly important for serious acts of cruelty and violence. This harsher form of justice is used in cases where none of the others are enough. This could include, for...... middle of paper ......o, Boulder. Published: October 2003. February 12, 2011..Maiese, Michelle. “Retributive justice.” Beyond intractability. Ed. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Published: May 2004. February 12, 2011. .Maiese, Michelle. “Types of justice”. Beyond intractability. Ed. Guy Burgess and Heidi Burgess. Conflict Research Consortium, University of Colorado, Boulder. Published: July 2003. February 12, 2011. .Robinson, Matthew B. "Justice as Freedom, Fairness, Compassion, and Utilitarianism: How My Life Experiences Have Shaped My View of Justice." Contemporary Justice Review 6.4 (2003): 329-340. Premier Academic Research. Internet. February 6 2011.