restitution

Restitution requires the offender to make reparation for the harm resulting from a criminal offense. Restitution is used most often for economic offenses, such as theft or property damage. Community service requires the offender to work for a community agency. It is unpaid service to…

…damages under three headings: (1) restitution, which restores to him whatever goods, services, or money he has given the breaching party, (2) expectation, which rewards him as if the contract had been fully performed (this includes profits anticipated on the contract), and (3) reliance, which gives him compensation for expenditures…

Related to the fine is an order to pay restitution (also known by the term compensation), which has been a popular alternative to punitive sentencing in some countries. Instead of emphasizing punishment of the offender, however, most restitution programs are intended to assist or…

In the Twelve Tables, restitution was the sanction of choice for most crimes, and victim retaliation was tolerated only when attempts to obtain restitution had failed. In many respects, the Twelve Tables indicated the beginning of state-involved justice.

…or their families could expect restitution, and private revenge was undesirable because such vengeance had often been met with additional violence. Wergilds were paid to the victims or their families, and more serious injuries meant paying a higher wergild. The highest wergild was paid for homicide, the smallest for injuries…

…calling for the reinstatement of restitution, claiming that it was important for victims, but retribution remained the dominant philosophy. Owing in part to the victims’ rights movement launched in the 1970s, the justice system began to incorporate restorative justice initiatives. Although those initiatives have been successful with juveniles and in…