PPT Slide
Moves Toward Sentencing Reform
- Truth-In-Sentencing is the latest in a trend of reform actions dating back to the 1970’s.
- During the early 70’s, indeterminate sentencing was common as parole boards had the authority to release offenders from prison.
- States later employed determinate sentencing whereby inmates served fixed prison terms that could be reduced by good-time or earned-time credits.
- A move was later initiated to use mandatory minimum sentences, which required that offenders be sentenced to a specific amount of time.
- Sentencing guidelines also came into the picture as states established sentencing commissions and created ranges of sentences for certain offenses and offender characteristics.