Exam 2: Sentencing and the Correctional Process

Sentence types and lengths are typically created by a:

In _________________, the U.S. Supreme Court found that federal law does not allow rehabilitation to be used as a factor when handing down a sentence.

In the case of _________________________________, the Supreme Court found that Washington State's sentencing guidelines violated a defendant's Sixth Amendment rights because they permitted a judge to consider aggravating factors that would increase the sentence.

Federal and state sentencing guidelines were created to limit prosecutorial discretion so that people committing similar crimes received similar terms of incarceration.

____________________ sentencing imposes a sentence for a definite period of time.

Under presumptive sentencing guidelines, the governor sets the penalties for criminal acts.

The sentence requiring a certain number of years of incarceration for particular crimes is a(n):

Sentences with a fixed term of years to serve are called:

Pretrial detention is the official beginning of 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.

Before sentencing takes place in felony cases, it is common for the prosecutor to personally conduct a presentence investigation.

Research has shown that both Latinos and African-Americans are, in general, sentenced more harshly than are whites.

There has been a transfer of power in the courts that has undercut the formal court process with a more informal system shaped by backroom deals and agreements.

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

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

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

The presentence investigation serves as the basis for sentencing and has a significant influence on whether the convicted defendant will be granted community release or sentenced to secure confinement.

Before sentencing takes place in felony cases, it is common for the court's probation staff to conduct a:

Sentences given by state and federal courts have traditionally been long in the United States.

During trials without juries, the judge does which of the following?