United States In the
United States federal courts, the
Federal Sentencing Guidelines have long been applied to criminal sentencings.
State courts use their own sentencing guidelines. Courts consider these advisory
forms, which contain
maximum and minimum sentences, before deciding a defendant's sentence. "The
Sentencing Guidelines enumerate
aggravating and
mitigating circumstances, assign scores based on a defendant's
criminal record and based on the seriousness of the
crime, and specify a range of
punishments for each crime." State sentencing guidelines vary significantly in their complexity, and whether they are non-binding or mandatory in their application. ==See also==