What are formal sanctions?

Question

What are formal sanctions?

Answer 1

Your question is FAR to broad.  Formal sanctions against who, against whom, or about what?  

Formal sanctions exist in Baseball, the NFL, the Government, Courtrooms, etc., etc...

Siggy

Answer 2

formal sanctions are things like laws.  they can be positive or negative and have set consequences if one violates a norm.  for example, if you commit a crime there is a legal consequence.  informal sanctions, on the other hand, are things like stigma or people talking behind your back to discourage you from certain actions.