Criminal Sentencing

Criminal Sentencing; Increasing the number of sentence points below which the court is required to impose a nonstate prison sanction under certain circumstances; providing that a sentencing judge’s decision regarding sentencing is guided by the computed recommended sentencing range, from the lowest permissible sentence to the highest recommended prison sentence; requiring a trial court judge to explain departures above the highest recommended prison sentence established by the Criminal Punishment Code and to specify his or her reasons for imposing the higher sentence, etc.