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Sentencing guidelines define a recommended sentencing range for a criminal defendant, based upon characteristics of the defendant and of the criminal charge. Depending upon the jurisdiction, sentencing guidelines may be nonbinding, or their application may be mandatory for the criminal offenses that they cover.[1]
By contrast, mandatory sentencing involves the imposition of legal parameters for criminal sentences, typically mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment.[2][3]
- ^ "State Sentencing Guidelines Profiles and Continuum" (PDF). National Center for State Courts. July 2008. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
- ^ "Mandatory Minimums". United States Sentencing Commission. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
- ^ "Sentencing Commission Takes New Look at Mandatory Minimums". United States Courts. June 2010. Archived from the original on 2012-10-11.