concurrent sentences; what's the point?

flogen

Why do concurrent sentences exist? I mean, if I got four 7 year concurrent sentences, what difference is my time in prison to someone else who gets one 7 year sentence??

It never seems to make sense to me

Thirdfox

I suspect it's to appease the victim's family etc. - maybe it has a deciding factor when you are put forward for early release or parole?

Personally I think that it is rather pointless but I don't know the legal reasons for doing this...

Dave!

Thirdfox wrote:

I suspect it's to appease the victim's family etc. - maybe it has a deciding factor when you are put forward for early release or parole?

Personally I think that it is rather pointless but I don't know the legal reasons for doing this...

Re: the first part -- if my family was murdered and the killer got concurrent sentences, I would be offended rather than appeased!

Thirdfox

I meant that rather just having one count of murder against him/(her) pc! S/he would be convicted with multiple murder counts... even though the time spent in prison will be the same...

milkytigerrr

flogen wrote:

Why do concurrent sentences exist? I mean, if I got four 7 year concurrent sentences, what difference is my time in prison to someone else who gets one 7 year sentence??

It never seems to make sense to me

I *think* its based on the idea that if someone commits a crime he must be punished for it, but if he commits several offences in the same set of circumstances it would be unfair to punish him in isolation for each incident.

Like if someone got drunk and drove a car,then crashes into another car killing two passengers the offender might get 10 years for dangerous driving causing death. But what if a pedestrian and a cyclist get caught up in the crash and one is killed, the other seriously injured? Then lets suppose the injured person died a week later.
If there was no such thing as a concurrent sentence the offender might have to go to jail for, say 25/35 years, for offences which arose out of the same circumstances.
Thats my take on it, but yes it does seem to lean in the criminal's favour.

besty

The above post really captures the idea I think. The courts must recognise the offence and does this by handing down concurrent sentences if the circumstances are similar and it is fair to do so.