If someone commits a felony they have the ability to be sentenced the same
Reply 1-1 RC 150 words and 1 reference
Felonies in Wyoming do not have levels. If someone commits a felony they have the ability to be sentenced the same. Our neighboring state, Colorado use levels as described in the question. They have levels 1 through 6. Level 1 felony is the highest while level 6 is the lowest. Level 1 is a life sentence, 2 is a 8-24 years, 3 is 4-12 years, 4 is 2-6 years, 5 is 1-3 years and 6 is 1 year to 18 months. In addition to these levels they have an enhanced penalty for an extreme risk to society and they do not carry the death penalty (Colorado Legal Defense Group, 2022). I do think the levels are a good theory but in reality everything comes down to what the judge decides. I have personal experience in this from an incident that started in Wyoming and ended in Colorado. The defendant used a weapon and shot at me during a pursuit and she should have fallen in the 2-4 felony level with an enhanced penalty for her charges, the judge sentenced her to a halfway house instead of prison. So while everything may look nice and fair on paper it’s a suggestion in my opinion and it comes down to the courtroom proceedings.
Reply 1-1 ZA 150 words with 1 reference
In Arizona, there are class 1 felonies and it goes up to a class 6. Class 6 felonies are the lowest level that you can commit and they are the least severe. “They are also known as “wobblers” because the prosecutor can choose to pursue misdemeanor charges, rather than felony charges. The judge can also choose to sentence a defendant for a Class 1 misdemeanor. Therefore, they can “wobble” between the two types of offenses” (M., 2022). A class 1 felony is the most severe and there are only two ways you can receive this which is either first-degree or second-degree murder. I do feel that there are differentiating factors especially since there are only two ways to receive a Class 1 felony. “One of the key features distinguishing federal law enforcement agencies from state or local agencies is that they have often been established to enforce specific statutes. Thus, their units are highly specialized and often associated with specialized training and resources. 23 Federal law enforcement agencies include the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Secret Service, the Marshals Service, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF)” (Schram, P., & Tibbetts, S., 2021). I do think it is important to break down crime into different levels because I do not think all crime deserves the same punishment. Should an adult who stole and apple get the same punishment and somebody who stole that stores money? Stealing has the same effect but a $1 apple I think, should get less of a punishment than $1000.
