Which of the following is NOT a criminal sanction?

A public reprimand is not considered a criminal sanction because it typically does not involve a legal penalty or incarceration. Instead, a public reprimand is often a formalized warning issued by a regulatory body or professional organization, intended to signal disapproval of certain behavior without imposing criminal penalties. It serves more as a professional consequence rather than one dictated by the legal system.

In contrast, loss of federal retirement benefits, fines, and incarceration are all direct consequences that result from a criminal offense. Loss of retirement benefits can be a means of penalizing individuals who have engaged in criminal conduct. Fines serve as financial penalties imposed by courts for unlawful actions, and incarceration involves being sentenced to serve time in jail or prison as a consequence of criminal behavior. Each of these options directly relates to punitive legal actions, whereas a public reprimand is primarily an administrative or professional response.