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Compensation as a Punishment

Compensation as a Punishment

Individuals who are convicted criminals have caused some type of harm, injury, or damage to another person or to another person's property. Criminals cost the Government and taxpayers millions of dollars every year. In order to catch criminals, a State must employ law enforcement officials trained in finding and apprehending dangerous offenders. The State must also establish and maintain correctional facilities in order to house individuals who pose a threat to society.
 
 
It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars for a State to house inmates and to provide criminals with the basic necessities that are needed for survival. The majority of states throughout the United States continue to maintain capital punishment, which costs each State millions more. Court trials and judicial proceedings also accumulate a great deal of financial costs.
 
 
Plus, the damage that a criminal has actually caused has not even been mentioned yet. Criminals may be responsible for thousands of dollars worth of damage as a result of their crimes. A large portion of the costs that are acquired due to the immobilization of criminals is paid by taxpayers. Therefore, in the course of their crimes offenders have produced a material debt to society.
 
 
There are many different ways in which a convicted offender may be required to pay their debt to society. The most common way is through fines. Often, an individual who is responsible for committing a crime will be required to pay a hefty fine as part of their punishment.
 
 
Another common way that a perpetrator will be required to pay their debt to society is community service. Under this setup, a criminal will often be required to take part in work or labor and they will not receive any compensation for their efforts. 
 
 
The tasks that a convict will be required to partake in may vary a great deal. They may include gardening, painting, or picking up garbage in parks or on highways. Community service may also involve volunteering at various types of shelters or for non-profit organizations.
 
 
A criminal who is taking part in community service is paying their debt to society by helping to improve the environment and the community. The actions of the criminal are now directly benefiting the community that he or she originally harmed. Community service may also provide the offender with new talents and abilities that will be productive to society once the criminal has finished their sentence.
 
 
While criminals are addressing their debt to society, they may also be required to pay their debts to their victim. In many instances, a criminal will cause damage to their victim's property. In order to compensate for this damage the offender may be required to pay restitution as part of their punishment. 
 
 
Restitution may occur when the perpetrator provides their victim with funds to replace stolen objects or to repair damaged property. In other instances, the criminal may be required to donate their time and labor to help repair the damage that they have caused.
 
 
Individuals who are responsible for criminal activities are not only responsible for a large financial burden, but also for extensive harm and damage, and therefore, they must compensate society for the destruction that they have caused.