What is restitution?

• A. The defendant is required to pay back or make up for damages.
• B. The defendant must perform community service.
• C. The defendant loses civil rights.
• D. The defendant gets a reduced sentence.

Answer: (A)

Restitution is the defendant paying back or making up for damages caused by the offense. It directly addresses the harm to the victim by covering actual losses like property damage, medical expenses, or lost wages, and it is typically ordered as part of sentencing to restore the victim as much as possible. This focus on compensating the victim distinguishes restitution from other outcomes.

Community service is about performing work for the community, not compensating a specific victim. Losing civil rights is a separate civil or criminal consequence that deprives certain freedoms, not about reimbursing losses. A reduced sentence is a change in punishment, not reimbursement to a victim. So the description that best fits restitution is the obligation to pay back or make up for damages.