Several situations call for so-called “punitive” measures, i.e. measures that have a material effect of sanctions, in the Quebec welfare system. In this article, starting with the case of the control of social assistance recipients in a marital situation, we will show that administrative law has the effect of constructing the profile of the social assistance recipient as a deviant subject to be punished. Our research has focused on the legal mechanisms triggered by the so-called non-compliance with the rules of the welfare system in relation to marital life, as well as on the effects of these punitive mechanisms on welfare recipients, based on the latter’s accounts of their experiences.