Can You Reduce Your Prison Time After a Drug Conviction?
After meeting with a criminal defense lawyer about a recent drug arrest, the first thing that most defendants do is Google the penalties for the charge that they will likely face, or the charge that their lawyer wants to negotiate for in a plea deal; they want to know what they are accepting if they plead guilty and what risk they are taking if they go to trial. Whether the answer you find is an AI summary like Google likes to throw in our faces these days or an old-fashioned list of search results, it will likely leave you with more questions than answers. If the sentencing range is ten to 20 years, how long will you spend in prison if you are convicted? It depends on how your conviction arises, whether you have any prior convictions, and what the judge who hands down your sentence thinks is fairest. Even after the judge pronounces your sentence, there is still a chance that you will be back home with your family sooner than the release date indicated at your sentencing hearing. For help understanding the penalties for the drug crimes that the state is accusing you of, contact a Florida drug offenses attorney.
The 85 Percent Rule and Florida Drug Cases
Each state has its own rules about convicted defendants reducing their sentences through good behavior in prison. Good behavior can simply mean not breaking any rules while you are in prison, or it can include specific rehabilitative actions that will increase your chances of staying on the right side of the law after your release, such as getting a GED or college diploma. In some states, including some deep red states famous for being tough on crime, you can reduce your original sentence by more than half simply by using your prison sentence to turn over a new leaf. In Florida, though, the maximum that you can reduce your sentence for good behavior is 15 percent. This means that, even if your conduct in prison is exemplary, you must serve at least 85 percent of your sentence. If the court sentences you to 20 years for drug trafficking, even your best-behaved self must serve at least 17.
There Are Other Ways to Avoid a Long Prison Sentence After a Drug Arrest
Good behavior is only one way to reduce the amount of time that you spend in prison. If the court has already issued your sentence, you have the right to appeal it. Convicted defendants can appeal their convictions or their sentences. If you appeal your sentence, it means that you acknowledge that you are guilty, but you believe that the sentence was unfair or illegal.
Of course, the best way to avoid prison is by not getting a felony conviction at all. You can achieve this through the best plea deals, by successfully fighting your charges at trial, or by going through a drug court pretrial intervention program, if you are eligible for one.
Contact FL Drug Defense Group About Drug Cases
A Central Florida criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing drug charges for which a long prison sentence is a possibility. Contact FL Drug Defense Group in Orlando, Florida to discuss your case.
Source:
prisonfellowship.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/GoodTimeChartUS_Apr27_v7.pdf
