Which definition best describes compensation in a youth sentence?

• A. The offender pays money to another person (usually the victim) for loss, damage or injury
• B. The offender pays money to the court
• C. The offender has to pay back the money for the property taken or compensate the person for any loss
• D. The offender suffers community service

Answer: (A)

Compensation in a youth sentence means the offender pays money directly to the person harmed by the offense, usually the victim, to cover loss, damage, or injury caused. This remedy is about making the victim whole and is ordered by the court as part of the youth disposition. It focuses on addressing the harm to the victim rather than the state or the court.

Paying to the court or paying back money for property typically describes fines or restitution, which are not the definition of compensation in this context, and community service is a different sanction altogether. So the best description is that the offender pays money to another person (usually the victim) for loss, damage or injury.