What is front-end and back-end sentencing? How do they compare and/or contrast? How common is back-end sentencing?

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers may vary.Front-end sentencing:A system of front-end sentencing by judges marks the beginning of an offender's punishment. In addition to demands from the prosecutor and defense attorney, the sentencing judge has a probation officer's report and recommendation. This report carries a good deal of weight with judges. In one study, the judge agreed with the probation officer's recommendation in 78% of cases that resulted in community sanctions and 62% of cases that resulted in incarceration. The judge may ask the offender questions and will usually permit the offender to make a statement. In some cases, a forensic mental health professional may provide input on issues such as diminished capacity or coercion and duress, addressing questions such as whether the defendant was able to understand the wrongfulness of the crime, was able to conform his or her conduct to the requirements of the law, and has particular treatment or rehabilitation needs. On the basis of these sources of information and taking sentencing options into account, the judge then sentences the offender.Back-end sentencing:Back-end sentencing occurs when parolees are arrested for new crimes or violate the conditions of their parole and are returned to prison by state parole boards. Back-end sentencing is now responsible for approximately one-third of all prison admissions. Examination of these parole revocations shows that parole board officials, eager to protect themselves from public scorn, are especially harsh on sex offenders and serious and violent offenders, regardless of what these offenders did to violate their parole. Parole boards also consider offenders' gender and race when they ratchet penalties up and down. We discuss these sorts of implicit biases more thoroughly in the next section.