In legal terms, successive sentences are two or more sentences that are imposed by a court and require either consecutive or concurrent service. This means that if a person is convicted of multiple offenses, the court can require the sentences to occur consecutively or concurrently.
Successive Sentences in Action
A classic example of successive sentences occurred recently in the U.S. Supreme Court in the case of United States v. Haymond. In this case, the defendant was found guilty of possessing a firearm as a felon and was sentenced to ten months in prison, which was the mandatory minimum. Later, a jury found the defendant guilty of violations of his supervised release, and the sentence was consecutive to the first sentence, thus increasing the defendant’s prison term to fifteen years.
The Benefits of Successive Sentences
Successive sentences provide a mechanism for the court to punish criminal behavior. They send a strong message about the importance of adhering to the law, while allowing the court to ensure that criminals do not escape justice for their crimes. In the case of United States v. Haymond, the court was able to set an example that those who violate the laws face serious consequences, while also providing an appropriate level of punishment for an individual who had violated the law multiple times.