Fines

Certain crimes may be punishable only by a monetary fine. In other cases, a fine may be levied as part of the final sentence that may include a period of incarceration. In the United States fines are typically fixed and are reserved for low-level crimes such as traffic or parking tickets.

In many civil law countries fines play a much more significant role. In these countries, fines are regarded as a significant deterrent, even for violent crimes. Germany and Sweden have imposed "day fines", flexible fine schedules that can be custom tailored to the defendant's financial means.

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See Sentencing