A model of sentencing in which judges have nearly complete discretion is known as what?

• A. Crimes Against Property
• B. Offenses Against Public Order
• C. Trial Court
• D. Indeterminate Sentencing

Answer: (D)

Indeterminate sentencing is a system where the judge imposes a discretionary range for the term of confinement, rather than a fixed, exact number. The judge can set a minimum and a maximum within statutory limits, and the actual release date is typically determined later by a parole board or similar authority based on the inmate’s progress and behavior. This setup gives judges broad leeway to tailor punishment to the individual offender, though release decisions still involve an external agency. The other options describe categories of offenses or a venue (the trial court) rather than a sentencing framework, so they don’t fit as models of how sentencing is structured.