Why do people get sentenced to jail for longer than their lifespan?

Question

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Answer 1

Althugh parole scarcely exists in many systems these days, this takes care of the matter if it is brought back.

Many, many criminals will die in prison these days. I have no problem with that; except that for those sentenced in the 1960s-1980s when the judge took account of the fact that most prisoners were released after serving half their sentence, there is some unfairness. Like the teenagers sentenced to "llfe" when life meant 20 years. Only now it means life, retroactively.

Answer 2

Most sentences offer early parole under certain conditions. The longer the sentence, the more years it will be before the convict can qualify for parole. To ensure the offender serves a certain minimum of years, the sentence may be longer than the persons expected lifespan. This is a simple answer, but I'm sure someone will have more technical info for you at some point.

Answer 3

So that their chances of getting freed on parole become narrower. In some states, a life sentence can mean that they will be eligible for parole after 15 to 25 years. If they have consecutive life sentences, then they will not get paroled. For sentences other than life, most parolees have to serve at least 85% of their sentence, for someone sentenced to 130 years, that is 110 years. Also, if someone is convicted of multiple crimes against multiple victims, a minimum sentence must be carried out no matter how absurd the length of imprisonment might ultimately seem.

Answer 4

For two reasons.
1) (the realistic reason.)
When a person is sentanced to say, ten years, he is, in some jurisdictions, eligible for parole in three years. Sentance him to 100 years, and he is still eligible for parole in 30 years. Sentance him to 300 years, and unless he is destined to live to the ripe old age of 120, he probably won't be around to make parole in 90 years.
2)(the propaganda reason)
Saying that a criminal is sentanced to a 300 yr term simply SOUNDS ominious and reminds all that the crime comitted was heinous and deserving of severe punishment. This may serve to discourage others from commiting the same type of crime.

Answer 5

According to the crime commited, there are guidelines judges use in sentencing. A minimum and a maximum. If the judge feels the criminal is beyond redemption or is a danger to society, he/she will impose the maximum sentence. It may be that the number of years is more than the expected lifespan of the person in question.

Answer 6

It has to do with their parole ability. Some are sentenced to life, but may get paroled. Others are sentenced to life without parole. While yet others are given consecutive life sentences, or 150 years. The latter may still become eligible for parole, depending on the condition of their sentence.

Answer 7

Because their crimes are so repugnant that the judge wants to make sure they never are free again. Regular sentences prisoners can get reduce time for good behavior and other stuff, so the longgggg sentences get around that.
AND the person should be euthanized but americans are to mentally frail to grasp that.

Answer 8

It is a legal thing..You hear about people getting 4 consecutive life sentences, etc. If they are eligible for parole on the first one, the second one kicks in, and so forth.

Answer 9

Because if you are sentanced for 5 years, someone can get you out, but if you sentances 200 years your staying in jail for life without a fighting chance.

Answer 10

So they can insure that the person wont be free again, thats why sme people would prefer the death penalty when they know that they are going to spend the rest of their life in prison.