Exam 2: Sentencing and the Correctional Process

A(An)__________________ is usually given for minor offenses, such as minor traffic offenses, and is based on the defendant's written promise to appear in court.

Many states have enacted ________________________________ laws that require offenders to serve a substantial portion of their sentence.

Third-party custody occurs when the court assigns custody of the defendant to an individual or agency that promises to ensure his or her later appearance in court.

How do each of the following affect sentencing: social class, gender, age, victim characteristics? Discuss fully.

___________________________ give judges a recommended sentence based on the seriousness of a crime and the background of an offender.

Unsecured bail allows release without a deposit or bail arranged through a bondsman.

A form of sentencing in which the legislature sets the penalties for criminal acts is ____________________________.

Three-strike laws have contributed to overcrowded prisons.

The court actor who is responsible for bringing the state's case against the accused is:

Governor Smith is concerned with the crime rates in his state. He calls a special session of his cabinet and also contacts a few of the state senators to initiate a special session of Congress. Governor Smith wants to specifically address his states sentencing strategies. Governor Smith is particularly concerned with the fact that offenders are sentenced to a specific amount of time in prison but are being released well before their sentence expires. He wants to enact a law that requires offenders in his state to serve a substantial portion of their sentences. He is hopeful that these new laws will reduce the discrepancy between the sentence imposed and the actual time served in prison. These laws are known as:

Scott was arrested for the crimes of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Scott was previously convicted of burglary, theft, assault, and several drug offenses. He previously served a 1-year prison sentence for the burglary conviction. Scott was only out of prison 4 months before he was arrested on these new charges. Prior to his first prison sentence, Scott was on probation for his theft, assault, and drug charges. If the case against Scott goes to trial, who will rule on the appropriateness of conduct, settle questions of evidence, and guide the questioning of witnesses?

Recent Supreme Court decisions ruled that federal sentencing guidelines are always mandatory.

If a judge wants to depart from the federal sentencing guidelines, he or she must justify that departure in writing.

If prisoners become involved in serious disciplinary offenses or attempt to escape, they can lose their ____________________________.

Discuss good time and how it can affect an offender's sentence.

Scott was arrested for the crimes of aggravated assault and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Scott was previously convicted of burglary, theft, assault, and several drug offenses. He previously served a 1-year prison sentence for the burglary conviction. Scott was only out of prison 4 months before he was arrested on these new charges. Prior to his first prison sentence, Scott was on probation for his theft, assault, and drug charges. Who will be responsible for enforcing the criminal law by trying to obtain a conviction against Scott for the crime of aggravated assault?

Disparities in sentencing often occur due to:

What are truth-in-sentencing laws, and why were they enacted?

Sentences with a fixed term of years to serve are:

In recent years, _______________ have gained greater leverage to extract guilty pleas from defendants.