TU Tuesday- Crime

http://www.timesunion.com/default/article/Mo-man-convicted-of-murdering-infant-son-3407642.php

http://www.crimevictimsunited.org/measure11/murderguidelines.htm

http://www.ehow.com/about_5466082_murder-sentencing-guidelines.html

Question: How does a jury determine how long a person's sentence is? What factors contribute to the sentence?

I read an article about a man who was convicted of killing his 8-month-old son who he claims was kidnapped by intruders while the man was knocked out. The article explains "The 31-year-old Carthage man faces 10 to 30 years in prison when he's sentenced April 30." According to the Sentencing Guidelines as Applied to Murder "Sentencing guidelines specifies "presumptive sentences" for each crime. The presumptive sentence depends on the classification of the offender based on his or her prior convictions." So a huge factor in determining a sentence is their history and if they have previously comitted crimes or been in trouble with the law. Although most people recieve the original sentence the judge can make changes or alterations based on certain circumstances. "Under specific aggravating circumstances, the judge can go up to twice the presumptive sentence (upward departure). Under specific mitigating circumstances, the judge can order a lower sentence (downward departure). " Factors like whether the offender cooperated with the state or played a minor role can make a sentence longer or shorter. Judges must oversee all aspects of the crime. The Murder Sentencing Guidelines describes what they look for. "Murder sentencing guidelines in most jurisidictions take into account considerations such as the the reason for the murder, how it was committed, why it was committed, and any special characteristics of both the victim and the murderer, such as age, disability, or vulnerability. Courts may also consider the murderer's criminal history, and whether the death was related to other crimes such as a drug deal or robbery." Sentencing can vary depending on the state or country you live in. Some states require a death sentence, some have manditory life sentences and others have different minimum sentences.