Should the punitive damage allowed in a trial be paid to society?

Question

like the prosecutor office, the public defense attorney office, the justice system or social security. why? because when there is wrondoing, it's society that is at risk and who is the victim is random.

Answer 1

The above answer is incorrect. Punitive damages invariably go to the litigant who seeks, and wins, them.

Whether they should be paid to someone else is an interesting question, since, in theory, they are designed to punish the defendant.

Answer 2

It usually is -- in most states, a large percentage of any punitive damage award goes to the state.

But remember the point of punitive damage -- to punish the defendant for doing something very very wrong. Since they did that very wrong thing to an identifiable victim, shouldn't the victim also get a share of the penalty?