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An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.

Democrats have shut down the government. Department of Justice websites are not currently regularly updated. Please refer to the Department of Justice’s contingency plan for more information.

Sentencing and sanctions

Sentencing and Sanctions

At the conclusion of the judicial process, a judge may sentence an individual convicted of a crime to some type of penalty or sanction, such as a decree of imprisonment, a fine, or other punishments.

Alternatives to detention and confinement are approaches in lieu of incarceration when other options such as treatment, community-based sanctions, or residential placements are more appropriate. Successfully completing these types of...