REHABILITATION
rehabilitation,n.1.Criminal law. The process of seeking to improve a criminal’s character and
outlook so that he or she can function in society without committing other crimes <rehabilitation
is a traditional theory of criminal punishment, along with deterrence and retribution>. Cf.
DETERRENCE; RETRIBUTION(1). [Cases: Sentencing and Punishment 45. C.J.S. Criminal
Law §§ 1458, 1472, 1479, 1492–1495, 1530.] 2.Evidence. The restoration of a witness’s
credibility after the witness has been impeached <the inconsistencies were explained away during
the prosecution’s rehabilitation of the witness>. [Cases: Witnesses 410–416. C.J.S. Witnesses §§
776–787.] 3.Bankruptcy. The process of reorganizing a debtor’s financial affairs — under Chapter
11, 12, or 13 of the Bankruptcy Code — so that the debtor may continue to exist as a financial
entity, with creditors satisfying their claims from the debtor’s future earnings <the corporation’s
rehabilitation was successful>. — Also termed debtor rehabilitation. Cf. LIQUIDATION(4).
[Cases: Bankruptcy 3501, 3671, 3701. C.J.S. Bankruptcy §§ 368, 416, 433.] — rehabilitative,adj.
— rehabilitate,vb. [Blacks Law 8th]