avstraffelse

Avstraffelse is the set of penalties imposed by the state on individuals who commit crimes, with the aim of upholding law and order. It is a central element of criminal justice and is defined in national penal codes. The term contrasts with other responses such as administrative sanctions or civil penalties.

The main forms include fines (bøter), imprisonment (fengselsstraff), community service (samfunnsstraff), probation or parole (vilkår), electronic monitoring, and, in some cases, preventive detention (forvaring). In some jurisdictions, restorative justice processes can substitute for or accompany punishment, focusing on repairing harm and involving victims.

The purposes of avstraffelse are deterrence, incapacitation, punishment/retribution, and rehabilitation. Deterrence aims to discourage crime; incapacitation reduces opportunities to offend; retribution expresses societal condemnation; rehabilitation seeks to reform the offender.

Principles include legality, proportionality, and human rights considerations; penalties should be proportionate to the crime, humane treatment is required, and processes must respect due process. There is ongoing debate about effectiveness, with criticisms of punishment-heavy approaches and growing interest in alternatives such as restorative justice, probation, and targeted interventions to reduce recidivism.