Opinion ID: 836097
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Sentencing Guidelines and Measure 11

Text: In Oregon, the Oregon Felony Sentencing Guidelines (sentencing guidelines) serve as the primary means through which courts determine an offender's sentence for felony offenses. The cornerstone of the sentencing guidelines is the concept that sentences be based upon a consideration of two factors: the seriousness of the crime and the defendant's criminal history. That concept has yielded the 99 block Sentencing Guidelines Grid. This court has described that grid and its operation as follows: A `Crime Seriousness Scale' serves as the vertical axis of the grid. Most felonies fall within one of the 11 categories on the Crime Seriousness Scale. A `Criminal History Scale' serves as the horizontal axis of the grid. The Criminal History Scale is made up of nine categories, ranging from `minor misdemeanor or no criminal record' to `multiple (3+) felony person offender.' The appropriate sentence for a given felony conviction is determined by (1) locating the appropriate category for the crime of conviction on the Crime Seriousness Scale; (2) locating the appropriate category for the convicted offender on the Criminal History Scale; and (3) locating the grid block where the two categories intersect. Each grid block contains what is called a `presumptive sentence'   . State v. Davis, 315 Or. 484, 487, 847 P.2d 834 (1993) (footnote omitted). For 46 of the 99 grid blocks, the presumptive sentence is a term of probation. OAR XXX-XXX-XXXX(1). [3] For the remaining grid blocks, the presumptive sentence is a range of months of imprisonment. OAR XXX-XXX-XXXX(1). The dispositional line separates those blocks that set probation and those that set imprisonment. OAR XXX-XXX-XXXX(7). Once a trial court has determined the presumptive sentence, the sentencing guidelines allow the court to depart either upward or downward from the presumptive sentence if there are substantial and compelling reasons in aggravation or mitigation. OAR XXX-XXX-XXXX. The degree to which a trial court may depart from the presumptive sentence is limited, however. See, e.g., OAR XXX-XXX-XXXX (setting upward durational departure for single conviction at double presumptive maximum); State v. Langdon, 330 Or. 72, 74-76, 999 P.2d 1127 (2000) (describing departure limits for consecutive sentences). Unlike the sentencing guidelines, which set out a multi-factor methodology for determining sentences, Measure 11 sets mandatory minimum sentences for certain felony offenses. Measure 11, codified at ORS 137.700, provides, in part: (1) When a person is convicted of one of the offenses listed in subsection (2)(a) of this section and the offense was committed on or after April 1, 1995,    the court shall impose, and the person shall serve, at least the entire term of imprisonment listed in subsection (2) of this section. The person is not, during the service of the term of imprisonment, eligible for release on post-prison supervision or any form of temporary leave from custody. The person is not eligible for any reduction in    the minimum sentence for any reason whatsoever under ORS 421.121 or any other statute. The court may impose a greater sentence if otherwise permitted by law, but may not impose a lower sentence than the sentence specified in subsection (2) of this section. (Emphasis added.) All the offenses covered by ORS 137.700(2)(a) (Measure 11 crimes) also are governed and ranked by the sentencing guidelines. For some Measure 11 crimes, the Measure 11 mandatory minimum sentence is less than the maximum sentence that is possible under the sentencing guidelines. See State ex rel Huddleston v. Sawyer, 324 Or. 597, 604, 932 P.2d 1145 (1997) (noting same when departure considered). For a Measure 11 crime that carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment that is less than the maximum sentencing guidelines sentence, Measure 11 allows the trial court to impose the sentencing guidelines sentence. See ORS 137.700 (The court may impose a greater sentence if otherwise permitted by law   .). For other Measure 11 crimes, however, the Measure 11 mandatory minimum is greater than the maximum sentencing guidelines sentence for that particular defendant. See Huddleston, 324 Or. at 604, 932 P.2d 1145 (so noting). For offenders who commit Measure 11 crimes that carry a mandatory minimum sentence that is greater than the maximum sentencing guidelines sentence (such as defendant), Measure 11 requires the trial court to set the defendant's sentence at the Measure 11 mandatory minimum. See ORS 137.700(1) (court    may not impose a lower sentence than the sentence specified). [4] A consequence of that situationin which the Measure 11 sentence is greater than the maximum sentencing guidelines sentenceis that the Measure 11 sentence might be greater than the sentence that the sentencing guidelines assign to crimes with an equal, or even greater, crime-seriousness ranking. It is that disparity in sentencesbetween Measure 11 crimes and non-Measure 11 crimes that carry the same or greater crime-seriousness rankingsthat defendant claims violates the proportionality requirement of Article I, section 16.