Which concept focuses on correcting a wrong or harm done to a person, often through compensation or punishment?

• A. Justice
• B. Ethical Formalism
• C. Distributive Justice
• D. Corrective Justice

Answer: (D)

Corrective justice centers on repairing the wrongs caused by an act. When harm occurs, its focus is to restore the harmed person to the position they were in before the wrongdoing, or as close as possible, through remedies such as compensation, restitution, or, when necessary, punishment of the offender. This approach treats wrongdoing as a moral imbalance between individuals that calls for a targeted remedy to rectify the harm done to the victim. In criminal justice, its aim is to hold the offender accountable and to address the harm experienced by the victim, rather than addressing broad questions of resource distribution or universal duties. The description here—correcting a harm through compensation or punishment—fits this framework precisely.