Southern New Hampshire University
CJ-210 The U.S. Correctional System
2-2 Discussion: Make Your Case
Prompt:
Take a position. Do you agree that sentencing reform is needed to lower incarceration rates?
Then, using the information gained in this module and the resources noted above, make your
case. Be sure to build your case with factual resources. Consider the following questions as you
make your case:
Do you believe that criminal sentencing laws have led to increased incarceration rates?
Why or why not? What are the pros and cons of sentencing reform?
What are the predicted outcomes of each?
Should judicial discretion be included as a sentencing reform? Why or why not?
This discussion is written from the stance that sentencing reforms should be enacted.
I am going to have to agree with the majority in that sentencing reforms should be enacted to
lower incarceration rates. By doing so, it broadens substitutes to incarceration and minimizes
sentences for non-violent offenders. Presently, the three primary sentencing reforms are
sentencing guidelines, mandatory minimums, and determinate sentences. Before I delve further, I
am going to briefly summarize the definition of each sentencing reform. First is sentencing
guidelines. Sentencing guidelines are "federal and state guidelines that were created to limit
judicial discretion so that people committing similar crimes received similar terms of
