A sentence is often thought of as a unit of language used to communicate a complete thought, but, in the context of the legal system, it takes on a more specific meaning. In the law, a sentence refers to the punishment given to a person found guilty of a crime. This sentence may involve a fine, probation, and/or a fixed or indeterminate period of incarceration.
What Are the Different Types of Sentences?
In most jurisdictions and court systems, sentences fall into one of four categories:
- Concurrent Sentences: A concurrent sentence is when multiple sentences are imposed at the same time, but served concurrently, which allows the offender to reduce prison time by concurrent sentences running at the same time.
- Consecutive Sentences: A consecutive sentence is when multiple sentences are imposed and the offender must serve them one after the other. For example, if a defendant is convicted of two crimes, they may receive two 1-year prison sentences to be served consecutively, resulting in a total of two years’ imprisonment.
- Suspended Sentences: A suspended sentence is a sentence imposed by a court which is held in abeyance, or “suspended,” pending the successful completion of a agree period of probation and/or other conditions. If the individual satisfies the terms of the probation, the court approves the suspension and no jail time is required.
- Split Sentences: A split sentence is when part of a sentence is served in prison and the remainder is served in the community. This works in favor of the offender, since prison time is minimized while still allowing the individual to seek treatment or attend job program or educational classes in the community.
Examples of Sentencing in Legal Cases
Sentencing in the legal system has come under greater scrutiny in recent years, with many criticizing it for being too harsh in some cases. An example of this was seen in the case of former NFL player Michael Vick, who was originally sentenced to nearly two years in prison for his involvement in an animal fighting case. After a lengthy court process and appeals, his sentence was reduced and he ended up serving only 23 months.
Sentences can also be seen as being too lenient in other cases, such as in the case of Oscar Pistorius, a South African Paralympian convicted of shooting his girlfriend. In that case, he was originally sentenced to just 5 years in prison, even though South African law mandated a minimum of 15 years. After a public outcry, Pistorius’ sentence was increased to 15 years.
Conclusion
Sentencing is a key component of the legal system, and there are important distinctions between the different forms of sentences. It is important that law abiding citizens be aware of these points in order to understand how criminal justice works and how those accused of a crime can either be punished or rehabilitated.