we must first understand why we punish criminals to be able to make decisions on the kind of punishments -- summary of the sentence when we rephrase in our head


A. In order for us within our society to be able to make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon those criminals who are convicted of crimes, we must first understand why we punish criminals.

To make make decisions is more concise

C. In order for us to be able to decide about the kinds of punishments we impose upon people convicted of crimes, we must first understand why people should be punished.

criminals is a less redundant word

D. Beginning with understanding why we punish, we can then as a society make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals.

why we punish who?? this sentence is a jumbler sentence its just completely unnecessary in all ways.


E. Deciding upon the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals, as a society, we must first understand why punishment is imposed upon criminals.

we need a to-verb to express the intention behind/ the reason to study why we punish criminals,
we are studying so that we can decide the different punishments, therefore Deciding upon.. changes the meaning of the sentence

B. To make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals, we must first understand why we punish criminals.

B is the least redundant and the best option!
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B. To make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals, we must first understand why we punish criminals....Conveys the meaning correctly...Without any redundancy like other options


OA:B

MEANING
We must first understand why we punish criminals before we decide on what kinds we must impose upon them.

A. "to be able to make" unintended; "upon those criminals who are convicted of crimes" this seems redundant, also "those" criminals is unclear;
C. "to be able to decide" unintended; "why people should be" what people? unclear and unintended;
D. "beginning with understanding…, we can then" wrong tense and unintended;
E. "why punishment is imposed" or why we (society) punish? unintended;

Answer (B)

In order for us within our society to be able to make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon those criminals who are convicted of crimes, we must first understand why we punish criminals.

The sentence looks wordy: "In order to" probably can be replaced with "to"; "to be able to make decisions" - with "decide". I haven't spotted grammar errors, but wordiness catches the eye.

A. In order for us within our society to be able to make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon those criminals who are convicted of crimes, we must first understand why we punish criminals.

B. To make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals, we must first understand why we punish criminals. - concise, no grammar error (IMXO), let's keep it

C. In order for us to be able to decide about the kinds of punishments we impose upon people convicted of crimes, we must first understand why people should be punished. - wordiness as in choice A; plus replacement of "must" with "should" is unjustified and meaningless

D. Beginning with understanding why we punish, we can then as a society make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals. - change in meaning

E. Deciding upon the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals, as a society, we must first understand why punishment is imposed upon criminals. - placement of "as a society" does not look good neither to specify preciding noun "criminals" nor to specify next one "we". If the latter option is the case, we have another error: two modifiers in sequence: [M], [M], [modified noun] does not work well.

The best answer is option B.

Options A and C are verbose. They contain unnecessary repetitions compared with option B., For instance, the phrase In order for us within our society to be able to make decisions can simply be shortened to To make decisions. This is because To make decisions has an implied meaning In order to be able to make decisions. Eliminate options A and C.

Option D and E distort the meaning of the sentnce. Hence eliminate them.

Option C is correct. It is very concise and conveys the intended meaning of the message.

Official Explanation

Correct Answer: B

Choices a, c, and d are wordy and redundant, with a being the most problematic. Choice e changes to make decisions into deciding, creating an awkward sentence because the sentence opens with a participle rather than an infinitive clause, suggesting action already in progress rather than action that will be taken once reasons for punishment are understood.
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B. To make decisions about the kinds of punishments we impose upon criminals, we must first understand why we punish criminals.
is concise, grammatically correct and conveys the right meaning.

IMO B
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