The Different Types of Criminal Offenses and Sentencing

When someone is convicted of a crime, they are sentenced by a judge and this sentencing decision is influenced by the type of crime committed, whether repeat offender status or other factors. Understanding the different types of criminal offenses and sentences will help you understand how to proceed after a background check comes back and your applicant has a record.

The various types of criminal offenses are:

• Felony - punishable by more than one year in prison (any term in excess of one year) and some felonies can result in death penalty or life without parole;

• Misdemeanor - punishable by up to one year in county jail.

• Probation - type of punishment where person does not serve time behind bars but must abide by certain restrictions for period specified on sentencing order; * Parole - type of punishment whereby offender serves time behind bars until parole date set by board members at hearing held after release date from prison

There are several different types of crimes in the criminal justice system. A felony is a crime punishable by death or imprisonment for more than one year. A misdemeanor is a crime punishable by imprisonment for one year or less. Some crimes are considered both felonies and misdemeanors, depending on the circumstances. For example, possession of marijuana can be charged as either a misdemeanor or felony depending on how much marijuana you have and whether you have any prior convictions for drug possession.

Misdemeanors include most criminal acts which do not require long periods of incarceration in prison such as theft (theft), assault (battery), disorderly conduct, domestic violence and many other offenses involving physical injury to others to varying degrees depending on circumstances like intent with respect to harm inflicted during commission of act(s) intended towards another person(s).

Sentencing

Sentencing refers to the punishment that a court may impose upon a person who has been convicted of a crime. The decision as to what sentence will be imposed is an important part of the criminal justice system, as it is meant to reflect the seriousness of a crime and deter future offenders from committing similar crimes.

Prison

Prison is the most severe form of punishment available, but it's not reserved only for criminals who have committed serious crimes. Prison sentences can range from a few months to life in prison and even death.

• Longer sentences may be given for more serious crimes such as murder or rape.

• Some offenders are given "day parole" halfway through their sentence so they can leave prison early if they behave well enough.

• There are also programs that allow prisoners to work at jobs and go to school while still serving their time

Probation

Probation is a sentence that can be given to someone convicted of a crime. It is not a prison sentence, but rather a form of community supervision. Probation allows the court to monitor and control the behavior of an individual who has been convicted of violating the law. A judge may impose probation when sentencing someone who has been found guilty, as opposed to incarceration or some other form of punishment.

Parole

Parole is a conditional release from prison. The offender is released with some conditions that they must follow and report to their parole officer regularly. Parolees may also have to attend programs such as addiction treatment, anger management classes and employment training.

If you are on parole, your parole officer will order you not to commit any criminal offenses. The parole officer will also require you to meet with them regularly and follow an approved plan for reintegration into the community (called a “parole plan”).

Sex offender registry

The sex offender registry (SOR) is a database of people who have been convicted of sexual offenses. It includes information about the offender's name, aliases, location and past offenses.

A registered sex offender must keep his or her registration information up-to-date. The length of time you must register varies by state and your offense type—for example, it can be 10 years for simple sexual assault or life for certain violent sex crimes such as rape.