Objectives of Criminal Law

Criminal law is different from other legal areas because of the potentially serious penalties for its violation. While minor violations of traffic laws may be punishable by fines or other relatively minor punishments, criminal law can have a profound impact on the life of an individual and may involve fines, incarceration, or even the death penalty for severe crimes in some jurisdictions. In countries outside the United States, physical or corporal punishment such as whipping and caning are still imposed for the violation of criminal law.

In jurisdictions within the United States, most people convicted on criminal charges face prison or jail time, with the length of imprisonment varying from one jurisdiction to another based on the severity of the offense. House arrest can also be imposed, as can fines or other financial penalties.

If you face criminal charges in the Maryland area, get help. Seek a criminal defense law firm as soon as possible.

What do criminal laws achieve?

Criminal law seeks five main objectives:

• Deterrence. Criminal law is more severe than other laws in order to discourage those who might commit criminal acts.
• Incapacitation. Prison sentences keep those who would commit crimes away from the rest of society, protecting those who abide by the law by removing the criminal element.
• Rehabilitation. Criminal laws also exist to help transform criminal offenders into productive members of society by convincing them that their original course of action was wrong and immoral. Treatment programs for drug users can also serve a similar purpose.
• Restitution. This goal involves repeating, via the authority of the state, any hurt inflicted on the victim. A thief, for example, may be forced to repay the stolen money to its rightful owner. This concept exists across many forms of law in addition to criminal law.
• Retribution. Criminal law seeks to make criminals suffer for violating codes of conduct, in order to balance the scales of justice, so to speak. Individuals who cause others to suffer should, logic suggests, be made to suffer themselves.

Maryland criminal defense law firm

The law firm of Houlon, Berman, Bergman, Finci, Levenstein & Skok is proud to hold a Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Ratings™ certification of AV®. We can assist with criminal defense cases in Maryland, including Rockville, Greenbelt, Upper Marlboro and the District of Columbia. Please contact us today for a free consultation.