Following a review of sentencing history and rationales, sentencing alternatives are described, including fines, costs, restitution and forfeiture; suspended sentence; probation; work release; imprisonment; life sentence; and death sentence. Aspects of probation and incarceration are discussed in detail. A chapter on special offender sentencing focuses on offenders who are juveniles, drug abusers, sexually disturbed, and habitual. The constitutional considerations in sentencing focus on due process, equal protection, right to counsel, offender's presence at sentencing, double jeopardy, and cruel and unusual punishment. A presentation of basic sentencing principles addresses such issues as sentence determination by judges and juries, the time of sentencing, concurrent versus consecutive sentences, and computation of the incarceration period. An analysis of personnel roles in sentencing considers the roles fulfilled by judges, probation officers, the prosecutor, and defense counsel. Other topics considered are judicial and executive sentencing review, disclosure of the court's presentence report, and information considered judge. 124 references.