Life imprisonment is a sentence that many people dream of escaping from. Whether it be for the sake of their family, or to escape the monotony and loneliness, life in prison can seem like an eternity. But what if you were sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance at parole? What would your thoughts be on this sentence? How much do you know about life imprisonment without parole?
In most countries around the world, there are three general types of punishment: imprisonment with possibility for parole; long-term imprisonment; and life imprisonment without parole. Life sentences without parole are generally reserved as the ultimate punishment and only given when other punishments such as capital punishment or the death penalty cannot be applied due to legal reasons (e.g., international law).
What Are Some of The Reasons for Life Imprisonment?
Life imprisonment is an alternative sentence for capital punishment in some states. Occasionally, life imprisonment can be limited to a fixed term, with the option of parole after serving, for example twenty-five years.
Life imprisonment also occurs when defendants are sentenced to natural life or indefinite detention. Life without parole can be available in certain countries or jurisdictions as a sentencing alternative. Furthermore, during war criminals may receive sentences including life imprisonment.
The most common use in many nations includes criminal offenses that see very long terms of incarceration handed down by courts through either sentencing before trial or conviction after trial in which the individual receives “life” time incarcerated status at their prison facility until they die there from old age.
What Is Capital Punishment?
Capital Punishment is the process whereby a person who has been convicted of one or more crimes punishable by execution (death) is sentenced to death. The term “capital punishment” refers to this specific sentence, even if the execution does not take place after being given.
An example would be the conviction and subsequent use of lethal injection for drug traffickers in Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. Another example would be the trials and executions for collaborators with Nazis during World War II.
Life Sentence Without Parole
A sentence of life confinement without the possibility for parole, imposed under most state statutes or as a result of sentencing guidelines. A life sentence with parole eligibility is the separate and controversial subject of protracted-sentence reform.
In California, long-time prisoners can’t be released on parole until they complete their minimum eligible time before becoming eligible once again for a 25-year review that makes them then capable for release with conditions or probation if still deemed a risk to society after this hearing.
In many states, juveniles sentenced to LWOP are given harsher terms than those sentenced as adults, holding only chance at an opportunity after serving one third of their term.
A life sentence without parole is definitely one of the harshest punishments in the American legal system. It applies to inmates convicted of 1st-degree murder, who are automatically sentenced to life imprisonment for any other felony while armed with a firearm, and for 1st-degree sexual abuse of a minor or 2nd degree sexual assault while armed or possessing explosives. Essentially, if you’re convicted of these charges there’s a big possibility that you’ll never see the outside world again.