Exam 11: Sentencing

Research suggests that victim-impact statements have a significant effect on judicial sentencing decisions.

Match each characteristic of a crime with the type of circumstance it represents in court. A)Aggravating circumstance B)Mitigating circumstance -The defendant has a good reputation in the community

According to the Supreme Court,imposing a sentence of life imprisonment for a non-violent felony is a violation of the Eighth Amendment protection against cruel and unusual punishment,even if the defendant has a history of serious or violent convictions.

Explain aggravating and mitigating circumstances and when they are used.List and describe at least three aggravating and three mitigating circumstances.

________ laws get tough on crime by mandating enhanced sentences for repeat felony offenders.

The ________ argument against capital punishment emphasizes disproportionality in the imposition of death sentences.

Match each characteristic of a crime with the type of circumstance it represents in court. A)Aggravating circumstance B)Mitigating circumstance -The victim was an on-duty police officer engaged in the performance of police duties

A sentence of 8 to 15 years in prison is an example of ________ sentencing.

Match the capital punishment argument to its focus. A)Retentionist B)Abolitionist -Arbitrariness

Match the Supreme Court case on the death penalty to its ruling. A)The execution of mentally retarded individuals is unconstitutional. B)Imposing the death penalty for the rape of a child where the crime did not result in and was not intended to result in the victim's death is unconstitutional. C)Statutes that allowed for an arbitrary and capricious application of the death penalty were invalidated. D)Abolished the imposition of the death penalty on an offender who was under the age of 18 at the time the crime was committed. E)Struck down statutes imposing the death penalty for the rape of an adult woman. F)An IQ score of 70 or greater is not sufficient to bar an inmate from claiming mental disability in the face of execution. G)Upheld a bifurcated trial procedure in capital cases. H)Decisions on facts such as aggravating circumstances that may lead to a death sentence must be made by juries,not judges. I)Statutes requiring a mandatory sentence of death for first degree murder are unconstitutional. -Coker v.Georgia

The day-fine system takes the offender's financial resources into account.

________ is a type of sentencing plan that allows no leeway in the imposition of a sentence for a person convicted of a crime.

Match the characteristic to the type of justice. A)Retributive justice B)Restorative justice -There is an emphasis on adversarial relationships

Match each characteristic of a crime with the type of circumstance it represents in court. A)Aggravating circumstance B)Mitigating circumstance -The defendant made restitution to the victim

________ is a sentencing principle that holds that an offender's criminal history should be taken into account in sentencing decisions.

Match the capital punishment argument to its counterclaim. A)The taking of a life demands revenge. B)There are other ways to meet societal goals,such as life imprisonment. C)Capital punishment is a holdover from more primitive times and modern standards of human decency require the use of other alternatives. D)Forgiveness and rehabilitation are higher goals. E)Claims of disproportionality do not consider variations in frequency and seriousness of criminal behavior between and within different groups. F)Justice is beyond price. G)There is no evidence that innocent people have been executed. H)There are multiple safeguards at all levels of processing to protect the innocent and ensure the guilty are put to death. I)Capital punishment is ineffective because it is not imposed with swiftness and certainty. -Lack of proven deterrence

According to the Supreme Court,a simple showing of racial discrepancies in the application of the death penalty constitutes a constitutional violation.

Match the type of sentencing to its definition. A)Sentencing models that provide greater control over sentencing systems B)A sentencing model that encourages rehabilitation through the use of general and relatively unspecific sentences C)A sentencing model that allows no leeway in the nature of the sentence required for a specific offense D)A sentencing model that includes a range of sentences for each charge and provides a mechanism for review of departure from the guidelines E)A sentencing model in which the offender is given a fixed term of imprisonment that may be reduced by good time or gain time -Structured sentencing

The Innocence Protection Act of 2004 provides federal funds to help eliminate

Which of the following is not one of the main goals of contemporary sentencing?