NCJ Number
171609
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 61 Issue: 1 Dated: (March 1997) Pages: 58-62
Date Published
1997
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article outlines the history of the U.S. Sentencing Commission, how the Commission works hand-in-hand with the U.S. probation and pretrial services system, and what future role the Commission hopes to play in the criminal justice system.
Abstract
The creation of the U.S. Sentencing Commission and its placement within the judicial branch of government was intended to insulate sentencing policy from the political passions of the day. As an independent, expert agency, the Commission's role is to develop sentencing policy on the basis of research and reason. The result is a "quasi-legislative" agency in which all three branches of government interact in an attempt to meld a coherent national sentencing system. It is the Commission's duty to provide a balanced guideline system that reflects the concerns of Congress and the needs of law enforcement, but can also be applied with fairness and with a sense of independence by the judiciary. It is a new type of agency not only for the Federal judiciary, but for the tripartite system of government. As the Commission enters its second decade, it is working to find new and better ways to accomplish the twin goals of controlling crime and ensuring fair sentences for persons who break the law. With the continued cooperation and commitment of the probation and pretrial services community and the courts, it hopes to achieve these goals. 31 notes