SENTENCING GUIDELINES: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURES

The paper focuses on the practice and procedures of sentencing guidelines.We live in a world where the society is yearning for punishment for wrongdoers; this is to ensure citizens conform to stipulated rules and regulation.The general purpose of sentencing is for people to bear the consequences of doing wrong and to deter future crime commission by both the convict and other individuals contemplating a committal of the same crime.The sum total of criminal trial is sentencing.The Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJA) 2015 embodies a method through which sentencing can be applied in Criminal trial aimed at complying with guidelines to avoid disparities.To this end, the Court at the end of trial is empowered to deliver judgment upon the defendant after his conviction and impose sentence on him usually in form of a fine, imprisonment or other punishments.Applying doctrinal method of research, the paper takes a look at the objectives, applicability, practice and procedures of sentencing.It further examines types of sentencing available in Nigeria under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.The ACJA has given more life to the prosecution of criminal matters in Nigeria, what is left at the moment is for stakeholders to explore the laudable provisions of the Act by ensuring that justice is effectively served.It is therefore hoped that this article would be able, within the scope of its analysis proffer informed opinion.