Criminal Code

Marginal note:Purpose

718 The fundamental purpose of sentencing is to protect society and to contribute, along with crime prevention initiatives, to respect for the law and the maintenance of a just, peaceful and safe society by imposing just sanctions that have one or more of the following objectives:

• (a) to denounce unlawful conduct and the harm done to victims or to the community that is caused by unlawful conduct;

• (b) to deter the offender and other persons from committing offences;

• (c) to separate offenders from society, where necessary;

• (d) to assist in rehabilitating offenders;

• (e) to provide reparations for harm done to victims or to the community; and

• (f) to promote a sense of responsibility in offenders, and acknowledgment of the harm done to victims or to the community.