Sentencing Advocates

Sentencing Advocates

The primary responsibility of the sentencing advocate is to humanize the defendant.

Most judges have a great deal of discretion in sentencing. Thus, we want the sentencing judge to understand that although the defendant did something wrong, and punishment may be necessary; incarceration is not an exclusive form of punishment.

There are diversion programs, community service, probation, restitution, and other less punitive penalties.

• Explore the Histories of Criminal Defendants
• Focus on Proposals
• Safety of the Community

In many criminal cases, a guilty plea or verdict is not immediately followed by the pronouncement of a sentence. This is often due to the necessity of an investigation into certain aspects of the offender's life and into the community support system. After an alternative sentence report is prepared, it is submitted to the judge, it will provide a detailed picture of the offender and circumstances surrounding the crime. It also offers more information used to determine the best sentencing option for a particular offender. The report is relied upon by judges around the world to assist in determining how likely the offender is going to re-offend, what type of sentence would be an effective method of rehabilitation or retribution, and what type of support system the offender is likely to have upon completion of the sentence. The alternative sentencing report is also a report that can follow the defendant thru the criminal justice system and can impact a variety of decisions and decision makers.