In this very first international conference on day fines, experts in criminal law and criminology from different European countries discussed the unique system of criminal fines which systematically depend not only on the severity of the offence but also on the wealth of the offender.
On June 26th, the first international conference on day fines took place at the Erasmus School of Law. It was titled Taking Wealth Seriously: European Practice with Day Fines and included expert speakers from 10 different countries in Europe. Half of the European countries are currently applying a unique model of fines, which systematically accounts for the income of the offender. Consequently, in these jurisdictions, the nominal amount of the fine depends not only on the severity of the offence but also on the income of the offender. This type of fine has great potential in terms of improved deterrence and a fairer system of pecuniary sanctions. However, not much is known about this system. Besides the fascinating countries’ experience, the conference included a philosophical discussion on the fairness of day fines. The conference was organised by the RILE, with financial help from BACT, Dynamics of Inclusive Prosperity and the Erasmus Trustfonds.
