Restitution vs Jail Time

I believe that criminals should not be put into jails.  Instead, they should have to make some sort of restitution to the victim or the victim’s family to pay off the debt or make amends for what he or she did.  This would be better for society because the victim would get something out of it and the criminal would learn to do good, pay for his or her mistakes and to work hard.  When a criminal goes into jail, the victim does not benefit, nor does the prisoner really learn anything.  In addition, jails require tax payer money.  This is a drain on society.  If a criminal had to make restitution, it would not cost any tax payer money.  The criminal may never completely “right the wrong,” but he or she would be forced to face their consequences and would have to face the person or family they hurt and actually work for them and serve them.  This could teach the criminal hard work and patience.  It could also teach them how to fix mistakes and become a better person.  It could be a very powerful and transformative experience for both the criminal and the victim.