SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CALCULATING STATUTORY SENTENCES

• US 20140129455A1
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Published: 05/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sentence Calculator Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sentence Calculator Incorporated
• Inventors: Davidson, Terence S.
• Application Number:
  US14/072,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20140129455A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/311
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/18 Legal services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided to assist users with calculating data related to a proposed or actual prison sentence. A sentence calculation platform provides a plurality of sentences calculators. Each sentence calculator is associated with a particular algorithm and a set of instructions for determining sentence output data based on the applicable legal framework. A sentence calculation module corresponding to a selected sentence calculator is transmitted for display on a client device of a user. User input is entered in an input portion of the module. Sentence output data is generated by applying the selected sentence calculator to the received user input. The sentence output data is transmitted for display in an output portion of the sentence calculation module displayed on the client device.

Claims

1. A system for performing calculations related to a proposed or actual prison sentence, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

provide a sentence calculation platform adapted to assist a user with generating sentence output data related to a proposed or actual prison sentence, the sentence calculation platform including a plurality of sentence calculators that are configured to compute sentence output data for a variety of different sentencing scenarios, wherein each sentence calculator comprises a set of instructions pertaining to a unique sentencing scenario which, when applied to one or more numerical values, calculates specific sentence output data based on a set of rules that are adapted from a jurisdiction'"'"'s legal framework corresponding to that sentencing scenario;

provide a hierarchy of navigable menus to assist the user in selecting an appropriate sentence calculator from the plurality of sentence calculators based on a particular sentencing scenario, the hierarchy of navigable menus including selectable interface elements that are each associated with a subset of the sentence calculators;

select a sentence calculator based on the user'"'"'s interaction with the selectable interface elements;

transmit data for rendering a sentence calculator module on a client device associated with the user based on the selected sentence calculator, the sentence calculator module including an input portion configured to receive user input and an output portion configured to display the sentence output data;

receive user input entered in the input portion of the sentence calculator module, the user input including sentencing information comprising numerical values pertinent to the sentencing scenario associated with the selected sentence calculator;

determine the sentence output data for the proposed or actual prison sentence by applying the selected sentence calculator to the received user input; and

transmit the sentence output data for display on the client device associated with the user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sentence calculation platform is provided via a web-based service which is accessible to the client device over the Internet.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sentence calculation platform is provided via a local application that is stored on the client device associated with the user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sentence output data includes actual or predicted values that indicate one or more of the following:

a release date, the duration of the prison sentence, or an amount of good time credit.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the user input is utilized to populate values of variables utilized in procedures executed as part of the set of instructions associated with the selected sentence calculator to determine the sentence output data.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sentence calculators include sentence calculators that are configured compute the sentence output data for definite sentences, determinate sentences and indeterminate sentences.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of sentence calculators include sentence calculators that are configured to account for a plurality of sentencing factors that affect the calculation of the sentence output data, including sentencing factors associated with:

parole;

an escapee or absconder;

a concurrent sentence;

a consecutive sentence;

an out-of-state sentence; and

post-release supervision.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein processor is further configured to communicate with a remote server over a network and the remote server comprises a database that includes sentencing information related to the proposed or actual prison sentence.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the remote server is associated with a correctional facility or judicial facility.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured to query the database on the remote server for sentencing information related to the proposed or actual prison sentence.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the user enters identification data to identify the sentencing information related to the proposed or actual prison sentence.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to utilize the sentencing information to populate the input portion of the sentence calculator module.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a confidence value for display on the client device relating to sentence output data.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to detect changes in statutes or laws that may affect calculations performed by the sentence calculation platform.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor is further configured to implement one or more remedial operations in response to detecting a change in an relevant statute or law.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit data that identifies laws, statutes or other guidelines that provided a basis for generating the sentence output data.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the sentence calculator includes instructions for computing sentence output data for a sentencing scenario pertaining to a consecutive indeterminate term for a post-release supervision violator who was originally assigned a determinate sentence and who was released twice based on parole, conditional release or merit.

16. The system of claim 16, wherein the one or more remedial operations comprise at least one of:

prohibiting access to one or more sentence calculator that may be affected by the detected change; and

displaying a notification that provides a warning regarding the detected change.