Fine (penalty)

In English common law, relatively small fines are used either in place of or alongside community service orders for low-level criminal offences.

More considerable fines are also given independently or alongside shorter prison sentences when the judge or magistrate considers a large amount of retribution is necessary, but there is unlikely to be a significant danger to the public.

For instance, fraud is often punished by substantial fines since fraudsters are typically banned from the position or profession they abused to commit their crimes.

[9][obsolete source] In some areas of the United States (for example California, New York, Texas, and Washington D.C.), fines for petty crimes, such as criminal mischief (shouting in public places, projecting an object at a police car) range from $2,500 to $5,000.

[12] In sections 15 to 32 and 48 of the Criminal Law Act 1977, the expression "fine" includes any pecuniary penalty.

While technically not a fine, which, under the Bill of Rights 1689, may be levied only following a conviction, it serves the same purpose of punishment.

Early examples of fines include the weregild or blood money payable under Anglo-Saxon common law for causing a death.

The murderer would be expected to pay a sum of money or goods dependent on the victim's social status.

[15] To do so, the cjib (centraal justiteel incassobureau (English: central judicial collection agency)) is established.

[20] When the fine continues to be unpaid, the CJIB will instruct a bailiff to collect the penalty nonetheless.

The prosecutor will order the police to arrest the convict to execute the earlier written substitute imprisonment.

The length of the imprisonment will be percentage-wise reduced if the convict has paid a sum but not the entire fine amount.

If the suspect didn't pay the fine of this plea bargain, the public prosecutor had to open a criminal case.

This situation led to a negative spiral because traffic offenders hoped and expected their case to be withdrawn and not pay the plea bargain fine.

This led to growing pressure on the capacity of the courts, which caused more sepots (decisions not to prosecute).

To stop this spiral, the secretary general of the justice department (at that time), Dr. Albert Mulder, designed a new law enforcement system.

[31] If the fine is lower than €70, or the appellant's appeal is rejected in Leeuwarden, there will be no legal remedies anymore and the case will be closed.