Describe the differences in how concurrent and consecutive sentences work. Give an example of each

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Concurrent sentences are sentences that are served at the same time. For example,
if a defendant is convicted of burglary and sentenced to five years and is also
convicted of stealing and sentenced to two years, the judge may order the sentences
to run concurrently. When the defendant finishes serving the five years, he has
completed his sentence, because his sentence for two years was completed after the
first two years of the five year sentence. Consecutive sentences are served one
after the other. If the judge in the same case ordered the sentences to run
consecutively, after the defendant completed serving his five year sentence, he
would begin serving his two year sentence.