You're right, retribution doesn't always act as an effective deterrent. Someone contemplating an acid attack won't just forget about their grievance either, even if retribution was a deterrent, the offenders would likely turn to another type of violence (they'd diversify, lol). I'd still call that an improvement but you're right the best solution has to be one that prevents these people even considering violence. It's got to be cultural!
That was going to be my next point! Haha.... You would think that acid attacks are an impulse to a situation or at worse random violence, but not a long ter