Court Opinion

ID: 9648860
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-23 14:36:50.845521+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T18:12:05.837025
License: Public Domain

CERCONE, President Judge,
concurring:
Although I agree with Judge Hoffman’s opinion, I would add several more points to buttress the holding that Commonwealth v. Riggins, 474 Pa. 115, 377 A.2d 140 (1977) (plurality opinion) stands for the principle that the basic reasons for sentencing should be placed on the record at the time of sentencing rather than in the judge’s opinion after the fact.
The American Bar Association Standards, Appellate Review of Sentences,* recommends at least four major policy reasons to support this position. First, the requirement will force the trial judge to focus on the exact issues involved and improve the rationality of the sentence imposed. Second, a statement of the reasons will be of value to the correctional institution to which defendant is committed. The statement can help the administration place a particular person in the proper program as far as possibilities for rehabilitation are concerned. Third, the statement of reasons may be therapeutic to the defendant. Although such a statement should not be bitter or berating, the defendant should be advised of why a judge has decided upon a certain course of conduct in his sentencing procedure. Fourth, a statement of reasons on the record is essential for our appellate review of the case.
Although appellant in this case was sentenced prior to the effective date of Riggins, case law has held that the Riggins rule may be applied to cases prior to that date. Commonwealth v. Jefferson, 484 Pa. 115, 398 A.2d 971 (1979); Commonwealth v. Kostka, 475 Pa. 85, 379 A.2d 884 (1977). Since appellant properly raised a Riggins -type issue in this Peti*87tion to Vacate Sentence and thereby preserved the question for our review, I agree that Riggins requirements have not been met in this case and remand for resentencing.

 See § 2.3, Comment e, pp. 44-47 (1967). Additional support for this view is found in the Model Sentencing Act § 10. See also N.J. Rules of Crim.P., R. 3:21--4(e) (1978) for a rule similar to Pa.R.Crim.P. 1405.