Study of Montana Sentencing Practices, 1987

• NCJ Number: 126677
• Author(s): S Byorth; D Elenbaas; L Menzies
• Date Published: 1990
• Length: 51 pages
• Grant Number(s): 87-DP-CX-0011
• Sponsoring Agency: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
• Corporate Author: Montana Criminal Justice and Corrections and Advisory Council
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; NCJRS Photocopy Services
• Publication Type: Legislation/Policy Analysis
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This 1988 study collected sentencing data from eight selected Montana counties to determine sentencing practices around the State.

Abstract

A 100-percent sample of felony filings for 1 year was used. The variables measured provided information on sentences by offense type, between-district sentencing variation, and factors affecting sentencing. Of the 1,054 Montana felony convictions in 1987, 30.9 percent resulted in a prison sentence, 28.1 percent resulted in a suspended sentence, and 41 percent resulted in a deferred sentence. A total of 19.1 percent of probation sentences included a jail term. Sixty percent of the convictions were for nonviolent offenses. A comparison of sentencing among the counties shows that prison sentences across counties ranged from 22.2 percent to 57.1 percent. Suspended sentences ranged from 9.4 percent to 36.7 percent. Sentence lengths ranged from 2 to 300 years for homicide to 1 to 40 years for burglary. 17 tables, 28 footnotes, and appended data tables and study forms