When a sentence is for e.g 200 years, what does it mean?

[Juniper]

The convicted can live say a max of up to 115 years old. When a sentence is 200 yrs or 230 years, whats the difference? The fella will not even be able to outlive that! So why not just say life sentence, instead of using exact number of years?

 

[Scouzer]

Compound sentences are good. Showing the amount of years also shows just how bad and how many crimes they commited.

 

[Joemonkey]

because they leave the convict's corpse in the cell for the extra years

works as a deterrant to the other cons in there who will be released soon

 

[gopunk]

because some offenses are not punishable by life sentences. so they have to give them really long ones.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

because life equals a certain number of years. there have been instances where someone has served "life" in prison and been released after his term.

im pretty sure anyway

like life may be 60 years or something like that, if the guy is 18 when he does it, he gets out at 78.

or maybe im completely wrong.

 

[RossGr]

It also effects when they become eligible for parole. Generally several long sentences ensure that the convicted will NEVER be eligible for parole.

 

[Juniper]

Compound sentences are good. Showing the amount of years also shows just how bad and how many crimes they commited.


because some offenses are not punishable by life sentences. so they have to give them really long ones.


These pretty much explains it





because life equals a certain number of years. there have been instances where someone has served "life" in prison and been released after his term.


I dont get this one though. Life means your entire life, right? So you get to spend the rest of your life in prison, right?

 

[ChrisIsBored]

because they leave the convict's corpse in the cell for the extra years

works as a deterrant to the other cons in there who will be released soon


In reality.. 200 year sentence means they'll be there for 40 years.... now if you're a celebrity, well.. look forward to a max of 10 years.

 

[Juniper]

In reality.. 200 year sentence means they'll be there for 40 years.... now if you're a celebrity, well.. look forward to a max of 10 years.

And could you explain your logic behind this calculation?

 

[IndyJaws]

<< It also effects when they become eligible for parole. Generally several long sentences ensure that the convicted will NEVER be eligible for parole. >>



That's the exact reason right there.

 

[MeanMeosh]

there have been instances where a person had to be released because their heart stopped because of some reason and then they were ressucitated (sp?). since technically you're dead when your heart stops, they had to be released....

or at least, i think so.

 

[dOrKuS]

for some reason i thought i life sentence meant 20 years, or some predescribed number

 

[fastz28]

<< It also effects when they become eligible for parole. Generally several long sentences ensure that the convicted will NEVER be eligible for parole. >>



What he said. Of course in Texas, we do it the easy and cheaper way.

 

[perry]

Read this link for info about being released with a life sentence.

When people are sentenced to like 200 years, isn't it for a term of "no less than XX years, but no more than 200 years" or whatever.

Or, if they don't have a minimum, and by some really, really odd chance that they live 200 more years, they'll actually be released. Or maybe saying they have to serve 200 years makes sure that they couldn't be released with a life sentence.