Criminal Justice 9

Restoration

A goal of criminal sentencing that attempts to make the victim "whole again."

Deterrence

A goal of criminal sentencing that seeks to inhibit criminal behavior through the fear of punishment.

Structured Sentencing

A model of criminal punishment that includes determinate and commission-created presumptive sentencing schemes, as well as voluntary/advisory sentencing guidelines

Presumptive Sentencing

A model of criminal punishment that meets the following conditions: (1) The appropriate sentence for an offender convicted of a specific charge is presumed to fall within a range of sentences authorized by sentencing guidelines that are adopted by a legislatively created sentencing body, usually a sentencing commission (2) Sentencing judges are expected to sentence within the range or to provide written justification for failing to do so (3) There is a mechanism for review, usually appellate, of any departure from the guidelines.

Restorative Justice

A sentencing model that builds on restitution and community participation in an attempt to make the victim "whole again."

Social Debt

A sentencing principle that holds that an offender's criminal history should objectively be taken into account in sentencing decisions.

Habeas Corpus

A writ that directs the person detaining a prisoner to bring him or her before a judicial officer to determine the lawfulness of the imprisonment.

Good Time

Amount of time deducted from time to be served in prison on a given sentence as a result of good behavior.

Rehabilitation

Attempt to reform a criminal offender

Equity

Belief that similar crimes should be punished with the same degree of severity, regardless of the social or personal characteristics of the offenders

Proportionality

Belief that the severity of sanctions should bear a direct relationship to the seriousness of the crime committed.

Aggravating Circumstances

Circumstances relating to the commission of a crime that make it more grave than the average instance of that crime.

Pre sentence Investigation

Examination of a convicted offender's background prior to sentencing

Sentencing

Imposition of a penalty on a person convicted of a crime

Victim-Impact Statement

In-court statement made by a victim or by survivors to sentencing authorities seeking to make an informed sentencing decision.

Indeterminate Sentencing

Model of criminal punishment that encourages rehabilitation through the use of general and relatively unspecific sentences.

Determinate Sentencing

Model of criminal punishment that requires a convicted offender to be sentenced to a fixed term that may be reduced by good time or gain time.

Just Deserts

Offenders are responsible for their crimes

General Deterrence

Seeks to prevent others from committing crimes similar to the one for which a particular offender is being sentenced by making an example of the person sentenced

Specific Deterrence

Seeks to reduce the likelihood of recidivism by convicted offenders.

Consecutive Sentence

Sentences served one right after the other.

Concurrent sentences

Sentences served simultaneously.

Mandatory Sentencing

Structured sentencing scheme that mandates clearly enumerated punishments for specific offenses or for habitual offenders convicted of a series of crimes.

Diversion

Suspension of criminal proceedings before sentencing and referral to a private agency.

Retribution

Taking revenge on a criminal perpetrator

Gain Time

The amount of time deducted from time to be served in prison on a given sentence as a result of participation in special projects or programs

Alternate Sentencing

Use of court ordered community service, home detention, day reporting, drug treatment, psychological counseling, victim-offender programming, or intensive supervision in lieu of other, more traditional sanctions.