Term Papers: how have legislatures reduced judicial discretion over the past 30 years
In the sentencing process, judges consider a variety of factors (case attributes) that ultimately dictate the sentence imposed upon a criminal defendant.
Please enumerate several attributes of a criminal case that affect a judge’s sentencing decision. Do extra-legal factors play a role? If so, how.
Lastly, how have legislatures reduced judicial discretion over the past 30 years? Please be specific and cite all relevant evidence.
