It is time for federal courts to appraise more realistically all consequences that a criminal conviction has on a defendant.

When determining a sentence for a criminal defendant, federal courts are required by statute to impose a sentence that is “sufficient, but not greater than necessary.” See 18 U.S.C. §3553(a). Among the factors that federal courts consider are the history and characteristics of the defendant, as well as the need for “just punishment.” See id. Too often, however, sentencing courts do not consider the full extent of the consequences that a defendant faces as a result of conviction, resulting in the imposition of potentially excessive sentences.

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