Does a judge sentence a first offense shoplifter differently by the amount he/she stole?
Does a judge sentence a first offense shoplifter differently by the amount he/she stole?
The amount stolen can affect the charge filed, with a more serious charge carring a greater potential sentence. Even where that is not the case, the amount stolen (either value or quantity of items) may be relevant to the scoring of sentencing guidelines or, in the absence of applicable guidelines, may be deemed relevant by the court in fashioning a sentence.