You are a product of your environment and therefore you can be conditioned for good behavior. But since you are a product of your environment, you can’t be at fault for bad behavior.
We, the people, are so screwed.
“But since you are a product of your environment, you can’t be at fault for bad behavior.”
It’s not about “fault” or “punishment” or “responsibility”.
It may not be your “fault” for behaving as you do. Granted, you had no control over the “hardware” you were born with. But your behavior can be controlled to a fair degree by imposing certain consequences. Some may be painful and people might see them as punishment, but punishment is not the goal. The goal is to promote acceptable behavior that results in “domestic tranquillity”, and sometimes only painful consequences work. You may try softer means at first, like maybe a threat, but if that doesn’t work you go the next step.
That’s one of the key reasons for the establishment of governments.
“We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure DOMESTIC TRANQUILITY, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.