Commission Proposes to Reduce Sentences for Repeat Felony Offenders
When someone commits multiple felony offenses, those crimes should matter when determining the appropriate sentence.
That principle seems straightforward. Yet the Minnesota Sentencing Guidelines Commission is considering changes to a longstanding sentencing practice known as “Hernandizing,” which recognizes the cumulative seriousness of multiple felony convictions resolved at the same time.
In Minnesota, sentencing is based on a grid. Every offense is ranked by severity, and an offender is sentenced based on the amount of criminal history points they acquire. Points are generally given if an offender has been convicted of a felony.
If an offender is convicted of multiple felonies, they will have more criminal history points.
For instance, if John Doe has four criminal history points and commits an armed robbery with John Smith who has zero criminal history points— John Doe would face a more severe sentence than John Smith...
Comments