Sentencing Reform Across National Boundaries (From Politics of Sentencing Reform, P 267-282, 1995, Chris Clarkson and Rod Morgan, eds. -- See NCJ-166953)

• NCJ Number: 166963
• Author(s): M Tonry
• Date Published: 1995
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: Oxford University Press
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United Kingdom

Annotation

Case studies and research demonstrate that lessons about sentencing reform can be learned across national boundaries to help individual jurisdictions improve their sentencing systems and avoid foreseeable mistakes.

Abstract

Planning is key to the effective implementation of new sentencing systems, and well-planned and executed sentencing innovations can alter the behavior of judges and sentencing outcomes. In practice, however, few sentencing policy changes are adequately planned and implemented. Sentencing policies are affected by judicial discretion and disparity, and the impact of various sentencing policy changes has not been sufficiently evaluated. In addition, tensions arise when sentencing policies direct judges to impose sentences that may be different from local notions of justice. Moreover, much of the literature on proportionality in punishment argues that punishment must be commensurate with the offender's relative blameworthiness. The experience of several countries in developing and implementing sentencing policies is discussed, and the author emphasizes the need for different jurisdictions to learn from each other's sentencing reform approaches. 42 references and 1 table