In the English language, it's understood that punishing a behavior is the same thing as punishing the actors, since behaviors cannot directly be punished. So wh

In the English language, it's understood that punishing a behavior is the same thing as punishing the actors, since behaviors cannot directly be punished. So when OP said, "malfeasance will stop if it isn't punished", it's a common and correct usage. It's all about the context.