Crime And Justice Chapter 10

Front 1

the philosophy that those who commit criminal acts should be punished based on the severity of the crime and that no other factors need to be considered

Back 1

retribution

Front 2

sanctioning philosophy based on the assertion that criminals deserve to be punished for breaking society's rules; based just on severity of crime

Back 2

just deserts

Front 3

strategy of preventing crime through the threat of punishment. assumes that potential criminals will weigh the costs of punishments versus the benefits of the criminal act; therefore, punishments should be severe

Back 3

deterrence

Front 4

strategy for preventing crime by detaining wrongdors in prison, thereby separating them from the community and reducing criminal opportunities

Back 4

incapacitation

Front 5

philosophy that society is best served when wrongdoers are not simply punished, but provided the resources needed to eliminate criminality from their behavioral patterns

Back 5

rehabilitation

Front 6

indeterminate term of incarceration in which a judge determines the minimum and maximum terms of imprisonment; when the minimum term is reached, the prisoner becomes eligible to be paroled

Back 6

indeterminate sentencing

Front 7

period of incarceration that is fixed by a sentencing authority and cannot be reduced by judges or other corrections officials

Back 7

determintate sentencing

Front 8

reduction in time served by prisoners based on good behavior, conformity to rules and other positive actions

Back 8

"good time"

Front 9

legislative attempts to assure that convicts will serve approximately the terms to which they were initially sentenced

Back 9

truth-in-sentencing laws

Front 10

investigative report on an offender's background that assists a judge in determining the proper sentence

Back 10

presentence investigative report

Front 11

actual offense committed, as opposed to the charge levied by a prosecutor as the result of a plea bargain; judges who make sentencing decisions based on the real offense are often seen as undermining the plea bargain process

Back 11

"real offense"

Front 12

any circumstances accompanying the commission of a crime that may justify a lighter sentence

Back 12

mitigating circumstances

Front 13

any circumstances accompanying the commission of a crime that may justify a harsher sentence

Back 13

aggravating circumstances

Front 14

situation in which those convicted of similar crimes do not receive similar sentences

Back 14

sentencing disparity

Front 15

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

Back 15

sentencing discrimination

Front 16

sentencing strategy in which legislators set the average sentence that should be served for any particular crim, leaving judges with the ability to shorten or lengthen the sentence based on the circumstances of each case

Back 16

presumptive sentencing

Front 17

legislatively determined guidelines that judges are required to follow when sentencing those convicted of specific crimes; those guidelines limit judicial discretion

Back 17

sentencing guidelines

Front 18

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

Back 18

departure

Front 19

statutorily determined punishments that must be applied to those who are convicted of specific crimes

Back 19

mandatory sentencing guidelines

Front 20

statutes that require lengthy prison sentences for those who are convicted of multiple felonies

Back 20

habitual offender laws

Front 21

the use of the death penalty to punish wrongdoers for certain crimes

Back 21

capital punishment