NCJ Number
169270
Date Published
September 1998
Length
50 pages
Annotation
The primary objective of this 1996 national survey of State sentencing practices was to classify each State according to the type of sentencing practice used.
Abstract
The survey findings address current sentencing practices, sentencing guideline States, juvenile justice sentencing practices, State juvenile waiver provisions, and current transfer provisions as of 1995. Regarding current sentencing practices, the survey found that the predominate sentencing structure for most States was an indeterminate sentencing structure (336 States and the District of Columbia). The vast majority of States, including those that have adopted determinate and sentencing guideline models, have retained some form of discretionary parole release and postrelease supervision. The use of postrelease supervision exists even in those State that have abolished parole. All States use some version of mandatory minimum sentencing laws. To date, 19 States and the Federal Government have sentencing commissions, and 17 States have implemented presumptive or voluntary/advisory sentencing guidelines. States are making it easier to transfer juveniles to the adult court by adding specific offenses for transfer and/or lowering the upper age limit of juvenile court jurisdiction. Extensive tabular and graphic data