PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER: Determinate vs. indeterminate sentencing isn’t a topic that comes up in everyday conversation – until a convict’s jail term or release boils over into a public controversy…
A determinate sentence, sometimes called a flat sentence, carries a specific jail term – say 10 years – depending on the crime. There is no parole.
Pennsylvania uses indeterminate sentences, which provide a minimum and maximum range. The system includes a mandatory minimum term for some crimes. The state Board of Probation and Parole determines when to release an inmate who has served at least the minimum sentence… (more)
