Sentencing

Sentencing is part of the court procedure which follows a criminal defendant being convicted of or pleading guilty. The judge will decide on the punishment during the sentencing that is appropriate for the crime.¹ There are a variety of different kinds of punishment that may be imposed on a convicted criminal defendant¹:

Fines;
Short- and long-term jail or prison sentences;
Probation;
Suspended sentence;
Payment of restitution to the victim;
Community services;
Drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

Sentencing takes place almost immediately post-conviction, or when a defendant has pled guilty.¹ For sentencing, a judge will also consider other aspects of the offenders life, such as¹:

Their criminal history;
The nature of the crime, the manner it was committed, and the impact;
The defendant's personal, economic, and social circumstances;
Regret or remorse expressed by the defendant.

References:

1. FindLaw. Sentencing Overview. Retrieved on May 12, 2014, from http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-procedure/sentencing-overview.html

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