Legal Definitions - shaming sentence

A shaming sentence is a type of criminal sanction that is designed to publicly disgrace or stigmatize a convicted offender. This type of sanction is often used to alert the public about the offender's conviction and to discourage others from committing similar crimes.

One example of a shaming sentence is requiring an offender to post a sign in their yard stating "Convicted Child Molester Lives Here." This publicly associates the offender with the crime they committed and can have a lasting impact on their reputation and social standing.

Another example of a shaming sentence is the use of scarlet-letter punishment, where an offender is required to wear a symbol or letter indicating their conviction. This type of punishment was used in colonial America and is still used in some countries today.

Overall, shaming sentences are intended to be a deterrent to future criminal behavior and to hold offenders accountable for their actions in a public way.