Whenever a defendant is convicted of a criminal offense, the court must impose a sentence. The court has a wide variety of different options available to it in determining the appropriate sentence. These options include, but are not necessarily limited to the following: (1) a financial fine; (2) community service; (3) restitution to the victim; (4) probation, (5) home confinement; (6) incarceration in a county correctional facility; and (6) incarceration in a state correctional facility. The court can also order a defendant to obtain counseling services to address any drug or alcohol problems that the offender is experiencing.

Every sentence is dependent upon many factors that are unique to each defendant and considers such things as (1) the gravity of the criminal offense; (2) the defendant’s prior criminal history; (3) the defendant’s personal circumstances; (4) any addiction or medical issues that may have led to the criminal conduct; (5) the input from the victims of the crime; and (6) any other factors that the court determines to be relevant in the sentencing process.