LAIRDMCCALPINETRUTHINSENTENCINGDEBATE
Truth In Sentencing Debate
Heather Laird & Denitura McCalpine
CJA/204
April 20, 2015
Instructor A. Michael DeFranco Laird: Truth in sentencing laws are present to reduce the possibility of early release from incarceration. The offender must carry out a significant amount of the sentence brought down by the court before being considered for release, most times this is no less than eighty-five percent. Truth in sentencing laws prohibit the previous policies that reduced the time that the criminal served such as good time, earned-time and parole board release. Each state is different with the upholding of the truth in sentencing laws. Before laws were replaced, a convicted criminal never really served their entire prison sentence, but instead they would be released early for good behavior or because of overcrowding in the prison (Curtiss, n.d.). The truth in sentencing laws were put into place to deter crime because most criminals understand if they were convicted then they would have to serve most of their sentence in prison. No more leniency is to be given. Before truth in sentencing laws the parole board had the power to release a prisoner before their sentence was completed. The laws took that empowerment away from the parole board and replaced it with a sentencing judge. “The public and victims of crime have the right to know exactly what amount of prison time has been imposed, that survivors of a violent crime have a right to know how long the criminal will be in jail” (Curtiss, n.d.). Population of the prison facilities have gone up considerably, due to the laws are about punishment, not rehabilitation. The public is safer without the criminals on the streets re-offending. With harsher sentencing for the offenders under the truth in sentencing laws, once an offender is released from prison it deters them away from doing any other criminals acts for the fear of being incarcerated even longer. Ditton (1999), “As the number of offenders
Heather Laird & Denitura McCalpine
CJA/204
April 20, 2015
Instructor A. Michael DeFranco Laird: Truth in sentencing laws are present to reduce the possibility of early release from incarceration. The offender must carry out a significant amount of the sentence brought down by the court before being considered for release, most times this is no less than eighty-five percent. Truth in sentencing laws prohibit the previous policies that reduced the time that the criminal served such as good time, earned-time and parole board release. Each state is different with the upholding of the truth in sentencing laws. Before laws were replaced, a convicted criminal never really served their entire prison sentence, but instead they would be released early for good behavior or because of overcrowding in the prison (Curtiss, n.d.). The truth in sentencing laws were put into place to deter crime because most criminals understand if they were convicted then they would have to serve most of their sentence in prison. No more leniency is to be given. Before truth in sentencing laws the parole board had the power to release a prisoner before their sentence was completed. The laws took that empowerment away from the parole board and replaced it with a sentencing judge. “The public and victims of crime have the right to know exactly what amount of prison time has been imposed, that survivors of a violent crime have a right to know how long the criminal will be in jail” (Curtiss, n.d.). Population of the prison facilities have gone up considerably, due to the laws are about punishment, not rehabilitation. The public is safer without the criminals on the streets re-offending. With harsher sentencing for the offenders under the truth in sentencing laws, once an offender is released from prison it deters them away from doing any other criminals acts for the fear of being incarcerated even longer. Ditton (1999), “As the number of offenders