Question: why do they sentence a year and a day

title: Year and a day rule
text: A year and a day is a minimum incarceration sentence for felonies in many jurisdictions , and is one of the main features distinguishing felonies from misdemeanors . For some crimes , this is the minimum penalty , as traditionally in English - speaking , common law countries , misdemeanors may not entail a sentence of a year or more ( hence , `` eleven months and twenty - nine days '' ) whereas felonies are traditionally punished by incarceration of over one year , hence `` a year and a day . '' Furthermore , in many jurisdictions , prisoners are eligible for parole only if their sentences are longer than a year ; by imposing a sentence of a year and a day , judges can offer defendants a chance at parole . In the United States federal system , only sentences of more than one year allow prisoners to obtain early release for good time while incarcerated . As a result , a sentence of a year and a day can lead to less time served than a sentence of a year . 

Answer: answer: A year and a day is the minimum incarceration sentence for felonies in many jurisdictions, where prisoners are eligible for parole only if their sentences are longer than a year ; by imposing a sentence of a year and a day , judges can offer defendants a chance at parole.  In the United States federal system, a sentence of a year and a day can lead to less time served than a sentence of a year as only sentences of more than one year allow prisoners to obtain early release for good time.