Criminal Punishment Code: How many points do I score?

Criminal Punishment Code

The Florida Criminal Punishment Code gives each felony crime a certain number of "points". All felony crimes are assigned a "level". For example a 3rd degree felony grand theft is a level 4 felony - which counts for 22 points. Every felony crime that someone pleas to or is found guilty of counts on the score sheet. The highest crime goes first. Every felony and misdemeanor crime you ever committed - even as juvenile or in another state also counts on the Scoresheet. If you'd like to look at one - here it is on page 25 - http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/sen_cpcm/cpc_manual.pdf (YOU CAN ALSO FIND THE LEVEL AND NUMBER OF POINTS FOR ALL YOUR CRIMES AT THAT LINK) You need a lawyer with expertise in reading the Scoresheet and the documents that show your prior criminal record. Scoresheet errors are the most common sentencing errors. A sentencing error can make a HUGE difference in the amount of time you spend in prison. The Pasco, Hernando, and Pinellas County criminal defense attorneys at Pawuk and Pawuk are former prosecutors who have been looking at and "fixing" score sheet errors for 15 years. After all the points of all of your crimes are added up - they are multiplied and subtracted in a complicated math scheme. If you hire an accountant to do your taxes, shouldn't you hire a lawyer to do your scoresheet? The Florida Legislature seriously thought this through. Part of the logic was to prevent judges from having control over who goes to prison and for how long. Even if the Criminal Scoresheet adds up to prison time, there are also a whole list of reasons for a "departure" from the Criminal Punishment Code. Our Clearwater Defense Attorneys can help you make the departure arguments and potentially keep you out of prison. Unfortunately, there is also a list of aggravating factors that could increase your guideline score. For the sake of simplicity, what you need to remember is that committing a felony in Florida will be scored on a scoresheet, and you may fall into the mandatory prison range. For example, lets say you commit the crime of Felony Battery. This is designated as a Level 6 offense which would not score mandatory prison if you were convicted. But Felony Battery requires some injury to your victim, so let's say the State Attorney handling your case says the injury caused to the victim was "moderate". This adds 18 points to the scoresheet, and now you would fall into the mandatory prison range! This is why it is so important to contact our experienced New Port Richey Florida criminal defense attorney's if you are facing a felony conviction. Review of the Scoresheet in your case and negotiation with the State could mean the difference between prison and probation.