Talk:Suspended sentence

US centric?
I'm not at all concinved that the description given is applicable to the situation in English law. Here, I'm pretty sure I've heard the news media report things like "He was sentenced to a six month prison term suspended for two years" and I'd always understood that it was carrying out the sentence that was suspended, rather than the sentencing that was suspended.

Also not at all sure about the link between suspended sentences and probation...

Roy Badami 10:37, 21 March 2006 (UTC)
 * Bit late to be responding but no, it's the sentencing which is suspended in UK law also. In that example after 2 years they don't go off an serve 6 months, if the reoffend within 2 years the 6 month sentence becomes enacted (as well as anything due for the subsequent offences) --81.104.39.63 (talk) 18:53, 5 February 2008 (UTC)


 * In that case the article is unclear. I read it as saying only sentencing was delayed, ie. the sentence still had to be declared and then carried out at the end of the term of suspension, not that the sentence would only be enacted if another crime was commited within the period of suspension. 92.237.4.111 (talk) 14:53, 10 July 2008 (UTC)

The watchman style. The legalistic style, and the service style can be put in one big policy style for a community and the government to use. Each one will have a priority and a responsibility to follow. With this policy style crime rate will go down or would be stabilized. A different set policy will be used for each type of criminal justice group. With this policy we shouldn't haft anything to worry about in the community.

The watchman style is the concern for public maintenance. This is used to control illegal and disruptive behaviors. One example of the watchman style happened in 1992 in Los Angeles four police officers took this policy in action and beat a man. This was know as the Rodney king case. The police used this style for persuasion. This places greater emphasis on crime control instead of crime prevention.

The legalistic style is strict concern for enforcing the law. This policy helps bring money into the community by tickets, fines and other cases that involve money being given to the community for the crime that was commented. This is a hands off approach to take care of a law break or violation. This happens inside the courtroom as well. When a misdemeanor is formed a fine is given. This style may be called a paper style because it involves nothing but paper.

The service style is a concern with helping out the community. This is not a strict enforcement of the law. This is a good way for a community to get free costly help to clean up the environment with community service this helps people pay off fines. An other way this style takes effect is social services and counseling for minor offenders. This helps people stay out of jail and for them get help for minor offenders. This helps people stay out of jail and for them get help for there problems and helps the commute with funding. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Stevenzachary (talk • contribs) 06:30, 30 August 2008 (UTC)


 * This appears to be about styles of policing, and not specifically about suspended sentences. --Snigbrook ( talk ) 11:29, 30 August 2008 (UTC)

Suspended versus deferred sentence
I believe this article is confusing a suspended sentence with a deferred sentence. In Vermont, deferred sentencing allows the judge to suspend passing of the sentence. A suspended sentence, on the other hand, has been passed but the execution of the sentence is suspended while the offender is on probation. G. Csikos, 8 December 2009. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.245.238.133 (talk) 06:05, 8 December 2009 (UTC)

Keeping me in suspense
I suggest that the term "suspended" should be defined. One can probably guess that a suspended sentence is a sentence which has been suspended, but the meaning of suspension should be made explicit. 129.31.242.90 (talk) 20:00, 2 January 2010 (UTC)

Difference to Probation
As a European citizen, I don't have much information about the US-law and can't really define the difference between "Suspended sentence" and "Probation." It would be great to find a short information about it. Thank you, --R0T421 (talk) 15:41, 25 July 2010 (UTC)

Australia - Suspended period cannot exceed original sentence.
Is this true? I read this a while ago and it appears to contradict the statement, could someone please verify.

Case study: Tran, Ng & Le

Tran and Ng were students at the University of Technology, Sydney, who developed a free music download site using MP3 technology. Le subsequently assisted in making copyrighted material available on the site. The site was said to have received some seven million hits. The matter was first investigated by MIPI and a brief was handed to the AFP before charges were prosecuted by the DPP in the Central Local Court in Sydney in December 2003. As no money or trade was involved, the charges were brought under s 132(2)(b) for knowingly distributing copyrighted work, to an extent that affects prejudicially the owner of copyright, for a purpose other than trade. Ng and Le were sentenced to perform 200 hours community service. Tran was assessed as unsuitable for a community service order and was fined $5000. Tran and Ng each faced an additional charge reflecting their longer-term involvement and were convicted and received prison sentences of 18 months, suspended for three years.

An application on behalf of MIPI to be represented in the hearing was refused. MIPI advocated a full-time custodial penalty. It also sought an order for costs, which the DPP declined to put to the court. MIPI had estimated the loss caused to copyright holders by the defendants to be in the vicinity of $200 million, whereas the AFP gave an estimated loss of $60 million. On this point, the court found that the loss suffered was 'substantial' but could not be quantified with precision.

121.209.51.191 (talk) 11:45, 1 June 2014 (UTC)AJ

Merger Proposal
I believe that the Commonwealth law concept of Discharge (sentence) should be merged with this topic since the legal concepts appear to be analogous. Divercth (talk) 16:53, 26 January 2015 (UTC)


 * I see there has been no discussion of this. I also disagree with it - a suspended sentence is still a sentence, it is just one which is not enacted. A discharge does not constitute a conviction and therefore is substantially different. --Super Nintendo Chalmers (talk) 14:46, 28 April 2015 (UTC)

External links modified
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