Criminal Justice Standards

    Sentencing

    Criminal Justice Section Standards

    Copyright by the American Bar Association. This work (Criminal Justice Standards) may be used for non-profit educational and training purposes and legal reform (legislative, judicial, and executive) without written permission but with a citation to this source.  Some specific Standards can be purchased in book format.

    In February 1993, the ABA House of Delegates approved these “black letter” standards that have been published with commentary in ABA Standards for Criminal Justice: Sentencing, 3d ed., © 1994 American Bar Association. For the text of the publication, click HERE . To go directly to individual “black letter” standards (without commentary), click on the links below. 

    PART I. Scope of chapter; sentence authorities

    Standard 18-1.1     Scope of chapter
    Standard 18-1.2     The legislative function
    Standard 18-1.3     The intermediate function; guided judicial discretion
    Standard 18-1.4     The sentencing function; abolition of jury sentencing; sentencing councils; appellate review of sentences

    PART II. PUBLIC POLICY LEGISLATIVE CHOICES

    Standard 18-2.1     Multiple purposes; consequential and retributive approaches
    Standard 18-2.2     Types of sanctions authorized
    Standard 18-2.3     Costs of criminal sanctions; resources needed
    Standard 18-2.4     Severity of sentences generally
    Standard 18-2.5     Determinacy and disparity
    Standard 18-2.6     Individualization of sentences
    Standard 18-2.7     Systemic review

    PART III. LEGISLATIVELY AUTHORIZED SENTENCES

    Standard 18-3.1     Ordinary offenses and offenders
    Standard 18-3.2     Mitigating factors
    Standard 18-3.3     Definition of offenses; aggravating factors
    Standard 18-3.4     Personal characteristics of individual offenders
    Standard 18-3.5     Criminal history; recidivism
    Standard 18-3.6     Offense of conviction as basis for sentence
    Standard 18-3.7     Convictions of multiple offenses
    Standard 18-3.8     Multiple offenses in different jurisdictions
    Standard 18-3.9     Acknowledgment of responsibility
    Standard 18-3.10   Cooperation with prosecution
    Standard 18-3.11   Authorization of sanctions
    Standard 18-3.12   Use of authorized sanctions; guidance to sentencing courts
    Standard 18-3.13   Compliance programs for individuals
    Standard 18-3.14   Compliance programs for organizations
    Standard 18-3.15   Restitution or reparation
    Standard 18-3.16   Fines
    Standard 18-3.17   Community service
    Standard 18-3.18   Acknowledgment sanctions
    Standard 18-3.19   Intermittent confinement in facility
    Standard 18-3.20   Home detention
    Standard 18-3.21   Total confinement
    Standard 18-3.22   Costs, fees, and assessments

    PART IV. THE INTERMEDIATE FUNCTION

    Standard 18-4.1   Basic responsibilities of the agency performing the intermediate function
    Standard 18-4.2   Establishment of sentencing commission
    Standard 18-4.3   Creation of provisions to guide sentence discretion
    Standard 18-4.4   Structure of provisions to guide sentence discretion
    Standard 18-4.5   Legislative agency to perform the intermediate function
    Standard 18-4.6   Judicial agency to perform the intermediate function

    PART V. SENTENCING PROCEDURES

    Standard 18-5.1   Information for sentence determination and system accountability
    Standard 18-5.2   Requirement of report
    Standard 18-5.3   Substantiation of information
    Standard 18-5.4   Contents of report
    Standard 18-5.5   Timing of investigation and report
    Standard 18-5.6   Confidentiality of presentence report
    Standard 18-5.7   Disclosure of report to parties
    Standard 18-5.8   Disputes regarding information in report; stipulations; presentence conferences
    Standard 18-5.9   Notice to victims
    Standard 18-5.10 Victims’ statements prior to sentencing hearings
    Standard 18-5.11  Victims’ statements at sentencing hearings
    Standard 18-5.12  Evidentiary effect of victims’ statements
    Standard 18-5.13  Designation of sentencing judge
    Standard 18-5.14  Time of sentencing
    Standard 18-5.15  Notice of possible departure from presumptive sentence
    Standard 18-5.16  Consolidation of multiple offenses for sentencing; disposition of other charges
    Standard 18-5.17  Sentencing hearing
    Standard 18-5.18  Findings of the sentencing court
    Standard 18-5.19  Imposition of sentence
    Standard 18-5.20  Record of sentencing proceedings
    Standard 18-5.21  Sentence reports

    PART VI. SENTENCING DISCRETION

    Standard 18-6.1   General principles
    Standard 18-6.2   Considering types of sanctions; composite sentences
    Standard 18-6.3   Using presumptive sentences; mitigating and aggravating factors and personal characteristics of individual offenders; criminal history
    Standard 18-6.4   Sentencing to total confinement
    Standard 18-6.5   Sentencing for more than one offense

    PART VII. CHANGE OF SENTENCE

    Standard 18-7.1   Authority to reduce the severity of sentences
    Standard 18-7.2   Authority to modify requirements or conditions of sentences in light of changed circumstances
    Standard 18-7.3   Legislative authority to resentence offenders for violation of the requirements or conditions of sentences
    Standard 18-7.4   Procedures regarding violations of requirements or conditions of sentences

    PART VIII. APPELLATE REVIEW OF SENTENCES

    Standard 18-8.1   Jurisdiction to review sentences; reviewing courts
    Standard 18-8.2   Purposes of appellate review
    Standard 18-8.3   Appeals by defense or prosecution
    Standard 18-8.4   Disposition by reviewing court

    PART IX. DISPUTED TERMS OF TOTAL CONFINEMENT

    Standard 18-9.1   Mechanism for resolving disputes about the length of a total confinement sentence

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