Essay question 1

Courts are the segment of the criminal justice system responsible for imposing sentences on convicted offenders. Unless otherwise required as part of a mandatory sentencing structure, courts will often have a variety of alternatives when imposing punishment.

Compose an essay of 350 words that examines the role of court administrators with ensuring that the appropriate punishment is imposed when sentencing alternatives exist. For the purposes of this question the term “court administrators” is defined as judges and prosecutors. As part of your response provide examples of factors that must be considered when determining the appropriate sentence for an offender.