Collateral consequences are the effects of a given action or inaction that are unintended, unknown, or at least not explicit. A collateral consequence may simply be one that is beyond the scope of consideration. These are as opposed to direct consequences, which stem from the action in an anticipated manner. The distinction between direct and collateral consequences is perhaps most important in the area of criminal law and sentencing, where an effort to take the collateral consequences of criminal charges into account when meting out punishment is underway.