Definition - What does Concurrent Sentence mean?
A concurrent sentence is a legal decree where an individual found guilty on multiple convictions must fulfill the terms of imprisonment corresponding to each violation at the same time, conferred on the defendant by the judge as a caveat of leniency or plea bargain deal. The nature of an offense carries legal repercussions that will dictate the length of time of a prison sentence where a judge can exercise discretion when considering mitigating factors or extenuating circumstances surrounding details of a case.
SureHire explains Concurrent Sentence
In judicial proceedings, concurrent sentencing reflects many factors that may influence a court’s decision in administering the punishment that fits the crime. For instance, a judge accounts for any history of criminal convictions, the offender’s level of involvement in the crime (i.e., main perpetrator, accessory), the degree of the offense, and the defendant’s exhibition of remorse. Although state laws vary, a conviction follows a uniform system of delivering sentencing terms that often result in incarceration, fines, probation, and community service.
Because concurrent sentencing represents the sum of multiple crimes in one sentence, a defendant will generally serve the lengthiest term of imprisonment commensurate to the minimum or maximum penal standards. Although the court can demonstrate arbitrary judgment in some cases, felonies are crimes through which federal and state laws uphold stringent measures against repeat offenders where a jury’s guilty verdict overrides a judge’s decision. With concurrent sentencing, a defendant has the opportunity to receive parole, especially if they have no prior history of similar convictions documented.
While parole can be a condition of concurrent sentencing, individuals with criminal convictions can encounter challenges in landing job positions. For employers, applicants on parole can pose liability concerns against perceived biases of questionable conduct, work ethic, recidivism (the tendency to reoffend), and lowering morale among other colleagues. Employers and applicants can cooperate in promoting a landscape of camaraderie and mutual trust where a criminal history is not privy to its workforce, which can otherwise undermine productivity.
