(a) Purposes of Sentencing. The primary purposes of sentencing a person convicted of a crime are: (1) To punish an offender commensurate with the nature and extent of the harm caused by the offense, taking into account factors that may diminish or increase an offender’s culpability; (2) To protect the public by restraining offenders; (3) […]
(a) There is hereby created the Arkansas Sentencing Commission, the purpose of which is to evaluate the effect of sentencing laws, policies, and practices on the criminal justice system, to make appropriate and necessary revision to the sentencing standards, and to make recommendations to the General Assembly on proposed changes of sentencing laws, policies, and […]
(a) (1) (A) When a person charged with a felony enters a plea of guilty or nolo contendere, enters a negotiated plea, or is found guilty in a trial before the judge, or when the trial judge is authorized to fix punishment following an adjudication of guilt by a jury pursuant to § 5-4-103, sentencing […]
(a) (1) At a bench trial, a court may depart from the voluntary presumptive sentence range determined under § 16-90-803 in reliance on one (1) or more aggravating factors by providing a justification in the record of: (A) A listing of the charges and sentencing enhancements against the offender as set out in the first […]
