IPFS News Link • Media: Internet
How Sentence Enhancements Increase Plea Deals & Reduce Transparency in the U.S. Justice System: by K
• boilingfrogspost.comMost Americans today are aware of mandatory-minimum sentences in federal and state criminal sentencing guidelines and the often excessive punishments they place on offenders. What is perhaps less well known is the existence of sentence enhancements in the US judicial system. These are defined as "facts and circumstances that, if present in your case, allow the sentencing judge to increase or 'enhance' the sentence that normally applies to the crime." This means a sentence determined by sentencing guidelines or mandatory-minimum requirements can be increased, or enhanced, for reasons such as the use of a weapon while committing the crime, repeat offenses, or the age of the victim. The increase in sentence length is then decided upon solely by the judge in the case. When offenders find themselves facing such large sentences, and their defense attorney is, from the start, likely to be far behind the prosecutors in knowing what the facts of the case are, it becomes all too easy fo