Chapter 14: Sentencing and Appeals Flashcards
Sentencing largely depends on the ____________ of the defendant’s ____________.
However, sentencing may result from ____________ made by a judge in, for instance, not reminding the _________ to __________ the inflammatory ___________ made by the prosecutor during his ____________ statement, not excluding _________________ evidence from trial, etc.
This is why defendants are given an _____________ option, to review the _____________ of the trial court’s decisions. Even when defendants _______________ their appeals, they are left with a final option: ________ of __________ ______________, where they can appeal to a _____________ court for review of any potential legal ___________ during the prior appellate level trials.
severity; crime
errors; jury; ignore; remarks; closing; inadmissible
appeal; lawfulness; exhausts; writ; habeas; corpus; federal; errors
During Futile England, felonies were punished by brutal means of ____________ (hanging, burning, drawing and quartering, etc.), ______________ were punished usually with a ____________, hard __________, and ____________ . __________ criminal offenses resulted in transportation to the ______________ (where indentured servitude was common). These traditions of criminal ____________ eventually carried over into early ____________.
death; misdemeanors; flogging; labor; branding; Petty; colonies; punishment; America
In 1791, the English form of criminal __________ slowly dwindled, given the ratification of the U.S. _____________, which banned cruel and unusual punishment under the ____th Amendment. In just a year prior, Pennsylvania established a _______________ system of imprisonment called a “penitentiary” (a place to do penance) system. The idea was that hardened criminals could be ___________, through time in _____________, __________ study, and hard work.
This was followed up in 1870 with a mindset that sort of went the opposite way. ______________ sentencing was established, where “common ____________” would be imprisoned for an ______________ period of time (usually ~13 years), and were released based on the prison warden’s ________________, or if they thought the criminal had been _______________.
punishment; Constitution; 8th; rehabilitative; reformed; contemplation; bible
Indeterminate; prostitutes; indeterminate; discretion; rehabilitated
In the 1970’s, the _____________ sentencing system faced severe ____________, and was considered to have been a failure. Legislators then stripped judges of the right to personally _______________ the ___________ of sentencing.
This paved the way for ______________ / _____________-__________ sentencing.
indeterminate; backlash; determinate; length
determinate; fixed-time
Determinate or Fixed-Time Sentencing
sentencing based on a fixed-period of time, usually prescribed by legislation/ law.
California adopted _______________ sentencing laws, where the ____________ for a crime matched the ____________ of the offense. The ____________ government adopted similar sentencing laws in 1984.
determinate; sentence; severity; federal
Megan’s Laws
Laws enacted by the Federal govt., every state, and D.C.
Made in honor of Megan Kanka.
- 7 yr old girl was was sexually assaulted and murdered by neighbor living next to her family.
- Laws that require law enforcement to keep a list of sex offenders and disseminate the information to the public.
Retribution
- Punishment based on just deserts; punishment that exacts revenge.
- Receiving punishment that one deserves based on severity of crime.
Specific deterrence
Intended to deter a specific individual from committing crime.
E.g. threatening to impose a greater sentence if someone relapses.
General Deterrence
Used to deter individuals from committing crime.
E.g. setting his sentence for certain criminal offenses.
Rehabilitation
works to reform criminals into law-abiding, productive members of society.
Incapacitation
Isolates offender from society.
Based on notion that some people can’t be reformed –> it’s best to keep them from menacing others.
Selective Incapacitation
Singles out offender of a designated offense for lengthy incarceration.
(sometimes life imprisonment).
Restoration
Model of criminal justice system that recognizes needs of victim.
Defendant pays restitution to the victim to make them whole again.
Asset Forfeiture
when police seize the fruits and instrumentalities of crime pursuant to a court order.
To receive court order for assets forfeiture, based on a ____________ of evidence, burden of proof falls on ________ to prove that certain ________ (profits) and _______________ (vehicles / firearms) are linked to a crime.
preponderance; govt; fruits; instrumentalities
Timbs v. Indiana, (2019) established in a unanimous decision that the _________ __________ Clause of the ____th amendment is incorporated into the _____th Amendment and applies to the states.
Excessive Bail; 8th; 14th
Determinate Sentences
State legislature provides judges with little discretion to decide sentencing.
In determinate sentencing, giving a more ___________ or ____________ sentence has to be justified by a _________. If the __________ moves for a sentence _____________, then the jury has to find the facts that would __________ the enhancement __________ a __________ __________.
serious; lesser; judge; judge; court; enhancement; justify; beyond; reasonable doubt.
Mandatory minimum sentences
State legislatures have to set a minimum sentence penalty, regardless of mitigating factors (circumstances that make the crime less serious).
Indeterminate Sentences
Judges are given discretion, WITHIN CERTAIN LIMITS SET BY THE STATE LEGISLATURE, to decide a minimum and maximum sentence.
Presumptive Sentencing Guidelines
legislature sets up sentencing formula based on nature of criminal offense, and the offender’s criminal history.
Judges have to demonstrate a good reason for departure from the ___________ sentencing guidelines, like ______________ factors or ____________ factors.
presumptive; mitigating; aggravating
Presentence Report:
Document compiled by probation officer conducting _______________ investigation.
Includes…
- Defendant’s _____________ record, and _____________ condition.
- _____________ and ______________ factors that may influence sentencing.
- ______________ options available to the judge.
presentence
criminal; financial
mitigating; aggravating
Sentencing
In federal court, and in state courts, the defendant may inspect the _____________ report to ensure its ____________. In capital offense cases, defendants have a _______________ right to inspect the _______________ report.
presentence; accuracy; constitutional; presentence
Once the _____________ report is complete, ____________ hearings begin.
presentence; sentencing
Sentencing Hearing
Post-trial hearing where judge’s deliver the sentence for the defendant’s crimes.
The sentencing hearing is a _____________ __________ of the criminal proceeding, and defendant’s have the ___th Amendment right to ___________ ___________ at that point.
Defense attorneys may speak about ___________ or __________ factors regarding his client’s crime, and the defendant is also given an opportunity to __________ on his own behalf during the hearing – this is called _______________.
The defendant may state his right to ___________ per the ___th Amendment, and prosecutors may NOT ___________ on the defendant’s _______________.
critical stage; 6th; legal counsel
mitigating; aggravating; speak; allocution
silence; 5th; comment; silence
Right to Allocution
defendant’s speaking before judge at sentencing hearing.
Consecutive Sentences
defendant charged w/ multiple crimes serves separate sentences, back-to-back.
Concurrent Sentences
defendant charged w/ multiple crimes serves one sentence for the separate charges.
Clemency
defendant receives sentence reduction
(e.g. death penalty –> life sentence)
Pardon
Defendant is completely exempt from any further punishment.
(e.g. defendant already serving sentence is absolved from serving anymore of that sentence).
Sentencing Guidelines
State legislature establishes formula for determining criminal sentencing.
The Sentencing Reform Act abandoned _______________ as its primary purpose of imprisonment. The primary purpose became _____________, ______________, ______________, and the education of offenders.
rehabilitation; retribution; deterrence; incapacitation