What Are the Sentencing Guidelines?

An arithmetical formula, that seeks to fairly balance the relationship between the length of the sentence, the seriousness of the crime and the offender’s criminal history.

It assists the judge in imposing a rational sentence on all defendants regardless of race, gender, and economic status.

Crimes are organized by offense category, given an arithmetical value, and points are added reflecting the criminal history of each offender.

The total is a range within which a judge can lawfully sentence a convicted person.