Restitution is court-ordered compensation from a criminal defendant to a crime victim or to a party that provided assistance to the victim. It is a constitutionally authorized punishment in North Carolina. In every criminal case, the court is required to consider whether the defendant shall be ordered to make restitution to the victim of the offense. Victims of crimes against or involving the person of the victim or crimes equivalent to a felony property crime have a constitutional right to receive restitution in a reasonably timely manner when ordered by the court.