Understanding Extremely Long Prison Sentences
Many people are surprised when they hear about prison sentences totaling hundreds of years. After all, no human can serve 452 years behind bars.Courtroom technology solutions
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Yet such sentences are not uncommon in cases involving multiple serious offenses.
When a defendant is convicted of numerous crimes, judges may impose separate sentences for each count. These sentences can run either:
Concurrently
Concurrent sentences are served at the same time.Courts & Judiciary
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For example:
Charge A: 20 years
Charge B: 20 years
If served concurrently, the defendant serves 20 years total.
Consecutively