Final answer:
The day-fine system takes into account an offender's financial resources to ensure fines are equitable. The criminal justice system strives for balance in serving the public good and ensuring fair treatment, yet disparities exist, particularly notable in cases of financial crimes and their impact on society.
Step-by-step explanation:
True, the day-fine system does take the offender's financial resources into account. It is a method of applying fines based on an offender's daily income, which makes the penalties more equitable by ensuring that the effect of the fine is proportional to one's ability to pay. This system is used as part of the broader approach within criminal justice systems to address crimes and may vary in application from one country to another.
In discussions around the fairness of legal systems, a consideration is whether it's better for 100 guilty individuals to go free rather than punish an innocent person unjustly. This raises questions of balance within the criminal justice system, and reflects ideals about the right to a fair trial, the presumption of innocence, and overall public good that the system seeks to serve. Given that crime and punishment can impose significant costs on society both directly and indirectly, the ways in which laws reflect social structures and power dynamics are critical in aiming for a system that is both just and effective in reducing crime.
Furthermore, disparities in treatment based on social class or status, as highlighted through various theories and reports on crime and social class, suggest that this balance is not always achieved. Notable cases such as that of Bernie Madoff illustrate how financial crimes can be underestimated in their social harm, despite their substantial economic impact on a large number of victims. This underscores the importance of using a cost-benefit analysis framework when evaluating approaches to crime prevention and punishment.