The use of mandatory prison terms?

Answer 1

Certain laws that define criminal actions also prescribe a specific mandatory jail term. This means that the judge cannot give probation or a fine etc instead, but must sentence a person found guilty of that crime to jail time. In most cases it specifies a minimum number of months or days for the crime.

Answer 2

In some cases a judge can decide what sentence to impose for a particular crime, and in other cases the state legislature has passed a law that requires a specific sentence to be imposed for that kind of crime, which is therefore a mandatory sentence.

Answer 3

Some state laws passed by the legislature specify what the minimum amount of punishment may be delivered by the judge. They give the judge no leeway in his actions at all.

Answer 4

It means that the sentence(penalty) for a finding of guilt in that particular offense was set by the legislature when they passed the law and cannot be changed by the judge.

Answer 5

The "term" is the length of time you are sentenced to serve behind bars.

Answer 6

There are a few states that have mandatory prison terms. One of them is Michigan.