Specific purposes of criminal sanctions
Each criminal sanction specifically targets some, but arguably not others, of the four general purposes of criminal sanctions.
Fine
| Retribution | Offenders are punished because they must forfeit a monetary sum.Deterrence: offenders may be dissuaded from re-offending due to the threat of paying more money. |
| Denunciation | Putting a monetary value on crime shows that it is the wrong way to act. |
Community correction order (CCO)
| Retribution | CCOs require offenders to complete work without any financial reward |
| Deterrence | The work required in a CCO may deter an offender from re-offending. |
| Rehabilitation | Compulsory community work and education programs aim to help the offender to become a valuable member of society, and to change their mindset so that he or she will not want to re-offend. |
Home detention
| Retribution | Home detention restricts the physical freedom of the offender. |
| Deterrence | The confinement of home detention may dissuade the offender and the general public from committing crime. |
| Protection | The offender is closely. monitored and can only join society in certain, specific circumstances. |
Imprisonment
| Retribution | Restriction of an offender’s liberty is a form of punishment. |
| Deterrence | Imprisonment aims to dissuade the offender and the general public from committing crimes, due to the undesirability of restricted freedom and the prison environment. However, rates of recidivism (re-offending) remain high, so it is questionable as to whether imprisonment achieves this aim. |
| Rehabilitation | Some rehabilitation programs operate in prisons, aiming to turn prisoners into capable contributors to society. However, given that imprisonment is primarily a punishment, some argue that it is difficult to effectively rehabilitate prisoners. |
| Protection | By physically confining an offender, the public is protected. |
| Denunciation | Restriction of liberty sends a clear message that criminal behaviour is not tolerated. |
See also:
General purposes of criminal sanctions
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