Sentencing - Adult Accused
Last updated on May 10, 2021The judge will decide your sentence. In coming up with a fair sentence, the judge will consider the principles and purposes of sentencing. For more information about these, see: Sentencing Principles and Purposes (How the Criminal Justice System Works).
In deciding on your sentence, the judge has to follow laws about maximum and minimum penalties for the offence you were convicted of. They will also look at decisions of higher courts, such as the B.C. Court of Appeal, in similar cases.
Judges are also guided by other judges’ decisions at the same or lower court levels.
The judge may consider the victim impact statement, witness statements and victim and witnesses’ testimony when determining the sentence.
Finally, the judge can request a pre-sentence report.
Related Links
A jury is a group of people who decide if an accused person in a criminal trial is guilty or if a claim in a civil trial has been proven. Learn more about jury duty.
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