Sentencing commissions are formed by most state legislatures to review existing sentence structure, including laws, policies, and practices, and to recommend to the Legislature and Supreme Court changes regarding the criminal code, criminal procedures, and other aspects of sentencing policies and practices appropriate for the state. They seek to secure the public safety of the state by providing a swift and sure response to the commission of crime. They also seek to ensure fair sentencing that is not biased by geography, race, or judicial assignment, prevent prison overcrowding and the premature release of prisoners, and to provide judges with flexibility in sentencing options.
The purposes of sentencing include:
