I think a lot of older school Americans have a real justice boner and justice in their mind is often eye for an eye. At least this feels true about the older, right-leaning generation I know. Justice in the US, traditionally, seems a lot more punitive than rehabilitory. I think that has fizzled off in the more recent generation and some policy is already starting to reflect that, i.e. marijuana laws and releasing people for that crime early.

Source: Am American.