Chapter 14 Self-test questions

. Which of the following are the purposes of sentencing? Please select all that apply.

Punishment.

Crime reduction.

Reforming and rehabilitating offenders.

Public protection.

Reparation

. What is the maximum sentence that the magistrates' court can impose for a single offence?

3 months' imprisonment.

6 months' imprisonment.

12 months' imprisonment.

Life imprisonment.

. A court must always obtain a pre-sentence report before sentencing an offender.

True

False

. Which of the following are examples of aggravating factors to which the court must have regard when sentencing an offender? Please select all that apply.

Professional offending.

The use of a weapon.

A particularly vulnerable victim.

The defendant has a mental illness.

The defendant abused a position of trust to commit the offence.

. What is the maximum by which an offender's sentence may be discounted to reflect a guilty plea?

Three-quarters.

Half.

One-third.

One-tenth.

. What is the role of sentencing guidelines?

The court must have regard to any relevant sentencing guidelines.

The court may have regard to any relevant sentencing guidelines.

The court must always follow any relevant sentencing guidelines.

The court must follow any relevant sentencing guidelines unless it would be contrary to the interests of justice to do so.

. If the defendant pleads guilty to an offence but disputes the facts alleged by the prosecution, the court may need to hold a ______ hearing.

. Although a defendant who has offences taken into consideration is not convicted of those offences, the defendant cannot later be charged with them.

True

False

. What is the maximum period of a conditional discharge?

12 months.

Two years.

Three years.

Five years.

. A fine is the most common type of sentence imposed by the criminal courts.

True

False

. Which of the following is not a requirement that may be attached to a community order?

Unpaid work.

Supervision.

Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

Curfew.

Foreign travel prohibition

. A court cannot impose a prison sentence unless the offence, or combination of offences, is so serious that neither a fine nor a community order can be justified. This is known as the custody _________.

. When a defendant is sentenced to life imprisonment, this means that they will spend the rest of their life in prison.

True

False

. Which of the following sentences may be imposed on young offenders? Please select all that apply.

Conditional discharge.

Referral order.

Youth rehabilitation order.

Suspended sentence order.

Detention and training order