Opinion ID: 1926937
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Judicial Review Pending Level IV Availability

Text: There is no merit to Defoe's claims in the instant appeal. We recommend, however, that the Superior Court and SENTAC consider the implementation of a procedure for sentencing judges to review the status of prisoners who complete their Level V sentence but remain at Level V confinement pending space availability at Level IV. When the Superior Court imposes a sentence consisting of Level V time with decreasing levels of supervision, as in Defoe's case, each component of that sentence is integral to the sentencing judge's overall sentencing scheme or plan. [7] The unavailability of Level IV space may result in a prisoner serving substantially more Level V time than was originally contemplated by the sentencing judge. A periodic review of the status of a prisoner at Level V awaiting placement at Level IV would provide a means for the sentencing judge to make sure the prisoner's degree of confinement is in conformity with the intent of the original sentencing plan.