§ 40-35-102 — Purpose of chapter

The foremost purpose of this chapter is to promote justice, as manifested by § 40-35-103 . In so doing, the following principles are adopted: (1) Every defendant shall be punished by the imposition of a sentence justly deserved in relation to the seriousness of the offense; (2) This chapter is to assure fair and consistent treatment of all defendants by eliminating unjustified disparity in sentencing and providing a fair sense of predictability of the criminal law and its sanctions; (3) Punishment shall be imposed to prevent crime and promote respect for the law by: (A) Providing an effective general deterrent to those likely to violate the criminal laws of this state; (B) Restraining defendants with a lengthy history of criminal conduct; (C) Encouraging effective rehabilitation of those defendants, where reasonably feasible, by promoting the use of alternative sentencing and correctional programs that elicit voluntary cooperation of defendants; and (D) Encouraging restitution to victims where appropriate; (4) Sentencing should exclude all considerations respecting race, gender, creed, religion, national origin and social status of the individual; (5) In recognition that state prison capacities and the funds to build and maintain them are limited, convicted felons committing the most severe offenses, possessing criminal histories evincing a clear disregard for the laws and morals of society and evincing failure of past efforts at rehabilitation shall be given first priority regarding sentencing involving incarceration; and (6) (A) A defendant who does not fall within the parameters of subdivision (5), and who is an especially mitigated or standard offender convicted of a Class C, D or E felony, should be considered as a favorable candidate for alternative sentencing options in the absence of evidence to the contrary; however, a defendant's prior convictions shall be considered evidence to the contrary and, therefore, a defendant who is being sentenced for a third or subsequent felony conviction involving separate periods of incarceration or supervision shall not be considered a favorable candidate for alternative sentencing; (B) As used in subdivision (6)(A), "separate periods of incarceration or supervision" means that the defendant serves and is released or discharged from a period of incarceration or supervision for the commission of a felony prior to committing another felony; (C) If a defendant with at least three (3) felony convictions is otherwise eligible, that defendant may still be considered a favorable candidate for any alternative sentencing that is within the jurisdiction of and deemed appropriate by a drug court; (D) A court shall consider, but is not bound by, the advisory sentencing guideline in this subdivision (6).

Legislative History

Acts 1989, ch. 591, § 6; 1990, ch. 980, § 21; 1994, ch. 736, § 1; 2005, ch. 353, § 1; 2007, ch. 512, § 1.