Mandatory sentencing

Sentencing models are strategies or plans that are developed with the aim of imposing punishment as a result of crimes committed. In the 19th century, punishments were normally flat sentences, fines, and probation. People who were under flat sentences served the entire sentence without early release or parole, and by late 19th century, new models were established. After the conviction of the defendant, the judge decides on the most appropriate sentence (punishment) during the judgment phase.…

Doctor of Criminal Justice from The University at Albany and Natasha Frost, Doctor in Criminal Justice from the City University of New York, state, “If we are to make headway in reducing mass incarceration, mandatory sentencing must be eliminated, especially for drug crime” (163). Not only are mandatory minimums overly harsh and highly unjust, many of the people affected by these laws are drug user—drug users need treatment, not incarceration. Drug-related crimes are the leading cause of arrest…

were Hispanics, 33 percent were Caucasians and 61 percent of them were African-Americans. Furthermore, making the state the fifth highest prison population in the nation. Minorities are being convicted of minor offense crimes but are facing felony sentencing. Incarcerations related to non-drug crimes have remained steady over many decades; but the war on drugs continued to grow more prisoners over the past years attacking crime suppression in poor, minority areas. I am reaching out to all…

Retribution vs Reformation Beginning in the 1970’s, prison reform in the United States lead to trend of soaring incarceration rates. These reforms, which took place through the 1990’s, led to stricter federal sentencing laws and guidelines, which in turn increased enforcement as well as imprisonment rates. Since 1980, the prison population in the United States has more than quadrupled in size. As of 2015, there were over two million people in prison, which means one out of every one hundred…

It has been several decades since the policies overseeing mandatory drug sentences put into effect. Ever since the late 80s, our culture, our mindsets, and the criminal court's disposition have progressed. Additionally, the regulations and government sentencing procedures, and the idealists in the real world have transformed considerably With this in mind, mandatory sentences relating to drug criminals and drug sentences as one represents to provoke change in the prison systems and the ballooned…

There are five different types of sentencing models that have played a major role in how our correctional employee community operates today. Some of these sentencing models have put a strain on the correctional workers because of the increase in prisoners that they are responsible to supervise for. With the amount of people going to either jail or prison, this makes it crucial that our correctional employees are well trained and equipped to handle the different types of criminals they will…

This meant that it would now take a much larger quantity of crack to receive a mandatory minimum and it eliminated the mandatory minimum for small possessions. Although the Fair Sentencing Act is not retroactive, it has helped to balance the scale with race and punishment since 2010, and has been a factor in addressing mass incarceration in the United States. Mass incarceration went…

The Texas justice system is a complicated system in every aspect with overlapping jurisdictions, multiply court systems and various incarceration facilities. This is especially evident in the processing and the sentencing of an adult accused of a crime versus a juvenile. All though some factors are similar in each system; an adult is not subject to as many different judicial factors as a juvenile. This is due largely to the overall concern for the rehabilitation of Texas’ youth. To begin the…

of 400 per 100,000 (Clear et al., 2013). However, there seems to be little relationship between the crime rate and the incarceration rate. The United States prison overcrowding results from the increment in the rate of arrest and the approach to sentencing as the major means of punishment. Most prisons are relatively small and can only house a particular number of prisoners for a particular period of time compared to the high rate of incarceration by the criminal justice system. The system…

The implementation of the Vicious Lawless Associate Disestablishment (VLAD) Act in 2013 saw the execution of strong mandatory sentences for those identified as vicious lawless associates who have participated in declared offences . While these laws are aimed at increasing public protection and safety through the disestablishment of criminal gangs, it is argued that VLAD act violates the rights of certain associations throughout Queensland whilst also disregarding principles of the Rule of Law .…