What is a fine? How is it applied to an offender?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

A fine is defined as a monetary sanction imposed by the judge, with the amount depending on the severity of the offense. The modern fine is directed at the consumers of a certain illegal activity and not at the indigent (O'Malley, 2008). The first type is a fixed monetary amount that is referred to in the field as a "fine.". Ninety percent of fines go to victim/witness assistance programs or a general victim compensation fund, which is a state fund that dispenses compensation to victims of violent crime for losses not covered by restitution (Ruback & Bergstrom, 2006). A fine is viewed as a punishment, with the failure to pay grounds for revocation or issuance of a warrant. A fine can be imposed as a sole penalty, as in the case of traffic offenses, or accompanied by probation, an intermediate sanction, or incarceration. Fines have been used in European criminal justice systems as a primary sanction. For example, in Germany, more than 80% of all crimes committed by adults are punished by a fine as the only penalty. Compared to many other countries, fines in the United States have generally been underused and their collection not well enforced. Fines are used in only 25% of all state felony cases and in 13% of federal cases (Durose & Langan, 2004). Fines are routinely imposed as the primary sanction for organizational or corporate defendants in cases of corporate or white-collar crime.