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Something Old, Something New

NCJ Number
123579
Journal
Criminal Justice Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (Spring 1990) Pages: 10-13,39-42
Author(s)
A J Chaset
Date Published
1990
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Private criminal law practitioners should learn everything they can about updated Federal parole guidelines, but also become familiar with guidelines promulgated by the United States Parole Commission (USPC) more than a decade earlier.
Abstract
Most major non-drug prosecutions for the next two to three years will be brought under the "old law" which applies to offenses committed before November 1, 1987. Sometimes there may be confusion as to whether a case should be handled under the old law or the new law. The Sentencing Reform Act of 1984 abolished the USPC and Federal parole effective November 1, 1992, although one court held that the date was October 12, 1989. However, legislation has been drafted and approved that would extend the USPC's existence for five more years, during which time nearly all Federal prisoners will become eligible for parole. Learning more about the old law will provide practitioners with many reference points and relevant arguments as they practice successfully under the new law.