Concurrent vs Consecutive Sentence: What’s the Difference?

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consecutive sentence
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Did you know that America’s incarceration rate has fallen to the lowest its been since 1995?

While this is a great development, it still means that there are almost 2.1 million citizens in jail. If your loved one is being tried for multiple offenses, you might be wondering what’s in store for them.

Are you unsure what various sentences mean? Keep reading to learn all about the differences between a concurrent vs consecutive sentence.

What Is a Concurrent Sentence?

According to sentencing guidelines, a concurrent sentence is one in which a convict can serve the sentence for each offense at the same time. The benefit of this is that it can allow them to get out of jail sooner.

Depending on the number of convictions, this can lead to a huge difference.

For instance, if they were given three years for grand theft auto and three years for arson, they could end up serving those three-year sentences at the same time. Instead of serving a total of six years in prison, they can cut down their time by half.

The decision between one kind of sentencing and another depends on the discretion of the judge. This is why it’s important to hire a lawyer who can represent your loved one’s case with the most amount of skill and finesse possible.

If the sentence has already been given, don’t worry, because there’s still the possibility of having it overturned. Be sure to find a lawyer who you trust to get this process started. This will give you and your loved one the best chance possible.

What Is a Consecutive Sentence?

When it comes to a concurrent vs consecutive sentence, it’s an unfortunate fact that consecutive sentences can take longer to serve. In this scenario, you wouldn’t be able to serve more than one sentence at the same time.

For example, someone who was given six years for manslaughter and five years for robbery would have to serve one sentence before serving the other. This would result in a total of 11 years in prison.

It’s also possible to receive life sentences back to back. This means that if an inmate is pronounced dead but brought back to life by the paramedics, they’d still have to serve another life sentence.

Whatever happens, you can rest easy knowing that it’s possible to find an inmate using jailexchange.com.

Now You Know the Difference Between a Concurrent and Consecutive Sentence

Now that you’ve learned all about the differences between a concurrent vs consecutive sentence, you can fully understand the nature of your loved one’s imprisonment. There may be the possibility of overruling the sentence if you can get another hearing. At the very least, it’s important to visit your loved one in jail so they know you still care about them.

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