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Joe's sentencing

Video animation of the sentencing process

We’re still in the courtroom with Joe and we’ll use this animation to try to get an idea of some important aspects of the sentencing process.

As with the trial process, try to get a sense of who does what. You can see that the jury has gone – their job is done. You can also see how the role of the lawyer is now slightly different from what it was at the trial stage: the question is now not whether Joe has committed an offence, but how to deal with him now it has been established that he has done so.

You’ll see that the judge has a key role, and ultimately, will decide what the sentence will be. At this stage, try to get a sense of the resources and information which the judge has available to help structure their thoughts about what sentence to impose.

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From Crime to Punishment: an Introduction to Criminal Justice

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FutureLearn - Learning For Life

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