Sentencing: Guidelines - Design Features Of Guideline Structures

Up-and-running guideline systems have differed substantially from one another, and not all guidelines systems have conformed closely to Marvin Frankel's ambitions. As of 1999, we can identify a menu of choices faced by policymakers who undertake to create a new sentencing guideline structure, or who are interested in amending an existing structure. We will begin here by identifying a number of the most important "design features" of existing guideline systems. These are also salient attributes for assessing operational distinctions among guideline jurisdictions.