Week 3 Lecture 2: Restorative Justice and Different Forms of Criminal Sanctions (9-11-25)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, forms of sanctions, and punishment goals from Week 3, Lecture 2.

Restorative Justice

Punishment designed to repair the damage caused by a crime by bringing together the offender, the victim, and the community in a non-adversarial process to address harms and needs.

Retribution

A punishment goal that sanctions offenders because they deserve blame for their wrongdoing.

Deterrence

A punishment goal intended to discourage future crime, either generally (societal) or specifically (the individual offender).

Incapacitation

A punishment goal that removes the offender from society to prevent further crimes.

Rehabilitation

A punishment goal focused on reforming the offender so they do not reoffend.

Invisible Punishments

Punishments that limit rights or status outside formal imprisonment, such as voting bans or loss of certain job opportunities.

Incarceration

Imprisonment; the act of removing a person from society to serve a sentence.

Indeterminate sentence

A sentence with a minimum and maximum length, where parole eligibility depends on behavior or treatment progress.

Determinate sentence

A fixed term of incarceration with a defined length and no automatic parole consideration.

Mandatory sentence

A sentence that requires a minimum term for certain crimes, limiting judicial discretion.

Intermediate sanctions

Punishments more restrictive than probation but less severe than incarceration, often used in combination to reflect offense severity and community needs.

Fine

Money paid to the state by the convicted individual as punishment.

Restitution

Money paid to victims by the offender to compensate harms caused by the crime.

Forfeiture

Seizure by the state of property obtained illegally or used in illegal activity.

Community service

Required work performed for the benefit of the community as part of a sentence.

Home confinement

Restriction that requires the offender to remain at home during specified times, sometimes with monitoring.

Intensive probation supervision

Probation with higher frequency of contact and closer monitoring by a probation officer.

Boot camp/Shock probation

A rigorous, military-style program designed to deter and reform younger offenders, often with an accelerated punishment timeline.

Probation

A sentence allowing the offender to live in the community under supervision instead of serving time in prison.

Death penalty

Capital punishment; state-sanctioned execution for certain crimes.

Three-strikes law

Laws requiring long prison terms (often life) after a third felony conviction, with California as a prominent example.

Felon disenfranchisement

Restrictions or denial of voting rights for individuals with felony convictions, varying by state and circumstance.

Good time

Credit for good behavior that reduces the length of a sentence.

Truth-in-sentencing

Legislation requiring offenders to serve a substantial portion of their sentence before eligibility for release.

Mark System

An historical method whereby prisoners could 'earn' release based on marks for good conduct; largely replaced by modern parole systems.

Sentencing guidelines

A framework that guides judges on typical sanctions for offenses to promote consistency and predictability.