The purposes of sanctions

Question 1

What are 5 purposes of sanctions?

Answer 1

1. Punishment
2. Deterrence
3. Denunciation
4. Protection
5. Rehabilitation

Question 2

Punishment

Answer 2

The severity of the sentence should reflect the severity of the crime.
- punishing an offender also provides for the victims of the crime

Question 3

Deterrence

Answer 3

Sentences should discourage the offender and others from committing these types of crimes in the future.
- general deterrence aims to discourage everyone from committing the crime (deters community)
- specific deterrence focuses on discouraging the offender (specific to offender)

Question 4

Denunciation

Answer 4

Shows the courts disapproval and sends a message that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated by the courts.

Question 5

Protection

Answer 5

Ensures community safety by imposing a sanction that prevents the offender from re-offending.

Question 6

Rehabilitation

Answer 6

Treating the offender for the underlying cause of their offending through education, counselling or training, attempts to help offender change their ways and avoid re-offending.

Question 7

Penalty units

Answer 7

An amount of money set by parliament each year.
- used to define the amount payable for fines and many offences
- 1 penalty unit is currently $192.31, from 1 July 2023 to 30 June 2024 (any change to the value of a penalty unit will happen on 1 July each year)
- rate of penalty units is indexed each financial year so that it is raised in line with inflation

Question 8

Example of penalty units

Answer 8

The fine for selling a tobacco product to a person aged under 18 is 4 penalty units ($769.24)