People always wonder why some receive longer punishments than others who break the rules. Three essential grounds for disordering community order usually end up with longer sentences for the offender. These factors go a long way in determining how long someone should be punished. Here is why some felons end up with longer criminal sentence.
Factors that Can Lengthen a Criminal Sentence
1. Previous Convictions
This is like getting into trouble by breaking the rules after having a previous record as a lawbreaker. This would make the punishment worse than it was last time. That means if they broke the law before, they can get a harsher sentence this time around.
Sentencing Impact
Whenever a judge decides how long someone should suffer for his crime, he also considers whether that person has done wrong in the past. If they have a record, the judge may give them an increased sentence.
Example
Consider someone who has had multiple run-ins with the criminal justice system before. He could end up serving a greater length of time than one who fell foul of law enforcement agents for the very first instance.
2. Nature of Offense
Doing something terrible, such as hurting another person, or not obeying the law, makes their penalty worse. Therefore, if the crime is grave, violent or harms somebody, the punishment may increase proportionally.
Sentence Impact
Judges consider how serious the offence is upon deciding on how many years someone should serve. For example, the penalty will be higher if a crime is too severe.
Example
A person doing something incredibly violent, cruel or inflicting significant harm on others is more likely to get a longer sentence. If, for instance, one hurts another person and does something very violent, the punishment will be more severe because of the gravity of the case.
3. Impact on Victims or Community
Committing an offence with negative consequences on people or the community would result in a heavier punishment. Accordingly, if its effect harms others, impacting society in general, it might be punished even harsher.
Sentence Impact
Judges consider how much damage was caused to victims/community before sentencing. If this action hurt many other people/the whole community, it can also lead to stiffer penalties, indicating just how serious the repercussions were.
Example
In instances such as hate crimes or terrorism, which hurt specific groups of individuals or communities at large, the punishments can be very high. Thus, when such destruction touches many individuals and affects the entire locality, judges may give harsh sentences. This is to show their stand and warn others entirely destructive behaviours.
Conclusion
It is essential to be able to appreciate the reason why some individuals get prison terms that are longer for their offences. Past behaviours of a person, how severe the crime was, and effects on victims or the community all contribute to the determination of sentence length as punishment. Considering these factors, we can know how the justice system functions to ensure appropriate punishments. Please contact law firm if you want more information about this issue or have questions about criminal sentencing.