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| ) The philosophy that those who commit criminal acts should be punished based on the severity of the crime |
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| A sanctioning philosophy based on the assertion that criminals deserve to be punished for breaking society’s rules |
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| The strategy of preventing crime through the threat of punishment |
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| A strategy for preventing crime by detaining wrongdoers in prison, thereby separating them from the community and reducing criminal opportunities |
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| The philosophy that society is best served when wrongdoers are provided the resources needed to eliminate criminality from their behavioral pattern rather than simply being punished. |
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| An indeterminate term of incarceration in which the sentence determines the minimum and maximum time to be served, such as five to ten years, rather than a specific time to be served. |
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| A practice in which the period of incarceration for specific crimes is fixed by a sentencing authority and cannot be reduced by judges or other correction officials. |
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| A reduction in time served by prisoners based on good behavior, conformity to rules, and other positive actions. |
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| A legislative attempt to ensure that convicts will serve approximately the terms to which they were initially sentenced |
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| Monetary compensation for damages done to the victim by the offender’s criminal act. |
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| An approach to punishment designed to repair the harm done to the victim and the community by the offender’s criminal act |
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| presentence investigative report |
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| An investigative report on an offender’s background that assists a judge in determining a proper sentence |
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| The actual offense committed, as opposed to the charge levied by a prosecutor as the result of a plea bargain |
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| Any circumstances accompanying the commission of a crime that may justify a lighter sentence. |
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| aggravating circumstances |
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| Any circumstances accompanying the commission of a crime that may justify a harsher sentence |
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| A situation in which those convicted of similar crimes do not receive similar sentences. |
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| sentencing discrimination |
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Definition
| A situation in which the length of a sentence appears to be influenced by a defendant’s race, gender, economic status, or other factor not directly related to the crime he or she committed. |
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| Legislatively determined guidelines that judges are required to follow when sentencing those convicted of specific crimes |
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| A stipulation in many federal and state sentencing guidelines that allows a judge to adjust his or her sentencing decision based on the special circumstances of a particular case. |
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| mandatory sentencing guidelines |
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| Statutorily determined punishments that must be applied to those who are convicted of specific crimes |
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| Statutes that require lengthy prison sentences for those who are convicted of multiple felonies. |
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| victim impact statements (VIS) |
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| A statement to the sentencing body (judge, jury, or parole board) in which the victim is the opportunity to describe how the crime has affected her or him. |
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| The use of the death penalty to punish wrongdoers for certain crimes. |
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