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Sentencing is a process that occurs after an individual has been found guilty of committing a crime or has entered a plea of guilty to the charges. Sentencing results in the guilty party receiving penalty(s).

When imposing an appropriate penalty, it is the responsibility of the Courts to interpret both statute law and case law and any aggravating and/or mitigating factors. Surprisingly, each state has its own statute which provide or maximum penalty and for some offences, a mandatory minimum penalty.

If an adult is found guilty of an offence the sentence is usually handed down in open Court. For minors, the Court will be closed.

Having charges dropped doesn’t just happen in the movies.

There are several ways to have a charge withdrawn, which may result in your matter being over entirely.

The Police Prosecution handle matters in the Magistrates Court, while the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions handle matters listed in the District or Supreme Courts and it is up to them what charges they pursue and withdraw based on evidence and the negotiations had with a defendants lawyer.

Charges can be withdrawn at the early stage of a proceeding, right through to the day of the trial.

Some ways a charge may be withdrawn include:

• A charge being substituted for a lesser charge;
• Lack of consistent evidence;
• Public interest;
• Negotiation about the strength of evidence;
• Issue with the charge itself (out of time);

Where a defendant has been convicted of an offence or offences, they have the right to appeal to the relevant appellate court.

The highest appellate court is the Court of Criminal Appeals. Appeals are originally heard by three judges, although for more complex matters there may be five judges when significant legal issues need to be considered.

If the judges do no agree, the majority view prevails.

There are a number of grounds for appeal, including a challenge of a conviction where there is a question of law, fact or mixed questions of law and fact. An appeal may also be granted where the severity or adequacy of the sentence is challenged, either by the defendant or the prosecution.

Where the defendant formally pleads to the court their guilt of an offence(s). They then have the opportunity to ask the court for a lenient penalty for various reasons if the law permits.

This is the process of negotiation with the Prosecution, which can result in charges being modified, reduced, substituted, or entirely withdrawn.

After a defendant pleads not guilty to a criminal offence, the case proceeds to the criminal trial phases (unless the defendant then enters a plea of guilty and it is accepted).

In some courts there will be a jury that are the arbiters of fact. The defence and prosecution will proceed with jury selection of a randomly selected jury pool.

Once the jury has been selected, counsel for the defence and the prosecution will each make opening statements, present their evidence, call witnesses to the stand for testimony and cross-examination and finally, make closing arguments.

The jury will deliberate for as long as it takes to reach a verdict or the decision that a verdict can not be reached.

When a defendant is found guilty of a crime or enters an early plea of guilty, the judge will need to determine what sentences are appropriate and will consider aggravating and mitigating factors, which may lead to a lesser sentence, or no conviction being recorded.

Examples of commonly accepted factors include:

• The defendant’s age;
• The defendant’s medical conditions;
• The defendants past criminal record or lackthereof;
• Evidence of previous good character;
• Remorse or good conduct following arrest;
• Voluntary compensation of victims;
• A full admission of facts and an early guilty plea;
• A minor role in the offence;
• Provocations or ‘heat of passion’; and
• The defendant showed remorse;

An aggravating feature will increase the penalty and a mitigating feature will reduce the penalty. Some aggravating features are built into law and other are due to the circumstances of the offending.

Aggravating circumstances could result in a harsher sentence, for example:

• How the offence was committed;
• Whether a weapon was used;
• History of committing similar offences;
• Whether the victim was vulnerable, for example, an elderly person or a victim that has a physical or mental disability or is incapacitated;
• Defendants who were in positions of authority over their victims may receive harsher sentences;
• Hate crimes that are motivated by a persons protected characteristics, including religion, race, national origin or identification.