Truth in Sentencing Law & Legal Definition
Truth in sentencing laws are enacted to reduce the possibility of early release from incarceration. It requires offenders to serve a substantial portion of the prison sentence imposed by the court before being eligible for release. Previous policies which reduced the amount of time an offender served on a sentence, such as goodtime, earned-time and parole board release, are restricted or eliminated under truth-in-sentencing laws.The definition of truth in sentencing laws and amount of time required to be served are primarily governed by state laws, which vary by state.
Although the time usually varies from 50% to 100% of the prison sentences, in most truth-in-sentencing states offenders are required to serve 85% of the prison sentence. This is influenced by the opportunity to receive federal funding for prisons. The U.S. Congress has authorized incentive grants to build or expand correctional facilities through the Violent Offender Incarceration and Truth-in-Sentencing Incentive Grants Program in the 1994 Crime Act (Pub.L. No. 103-322, 108 Stat. 1796 (1994)). To qualify for the truth-in-sentencing grants, states must require persons convicted of a Part 1 violent crime to serve not less than 85% of the prison sentence. Along with other exceptions, states may qualify by demonstrating that the average time served in prison is not less than 85% of the sentence.
Legal Definitions
Search Definitions
Get a Term Defined
- Request a legal definition! Submit a term you need defined.
- » Request Legal Definition
Submit a Definition
- Submit a Definition Help us build our database. Free listings for attorneys.
- » Submit a Definition
Help Build USLegal
- Join our Team and help build USLegal. Many opportunities for participation so Join our Network.
Build USLegal
Read a Law Digest
- Need to read the law or find an answer to a legal question? Visit our Law Digest for the largest selection of law digests and answers available.
Go to Law Digest
Form Packages
- Select from our most popular legal form packages.
- » Bankruptcy
- » Contract for Deed
- » Divorce
- » Employment Packages
- » Home Sales
- » Incorporation
- » LLC Formation
- » Landlord Tenant
- » Mutual Wills
- » Name Change
- » Personal Planning
- » Partnerships
- » View All Packages
Legal Life
- Organize your legal life today! View our free online guide to creating a Life Documents File and related products.
- » Life Documents File
- » Personal Planning Package
- » Life Documents Packages
- » New Parents
- » Newlyweds
- » Baby Boomers
- » Military
- » Other
Form Drafting
- Can′t find the form you need, or need a form we offer revised for your situation? Submit your request and our attorneys will review the request and let you know if the form can be provided.
Submit a drafting request...
