Legal Definitions - concurrency

In legal terms, concurrency primarily refers to how multiple criminal sentences are served when a person is convicted of more than one crime.

When sentences are ordered to be concurrent, it means they run at the same time, or simultaneously, rather than one after the other. The defendant serves the longest of the concurrent sentences, and once that longest sentence is completed, all concurrent sentences are considered fulfilled.

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Multiple Offenses from a Single Incident

  Imagine a scenario where an individual, Mr. Davies, breaks into a house (burglary) and, while inside, also steals several valuable items (theft). He is later caught and convicted of both crimes. The judge sentences him to 5 years for the burglary and 3 years for the theft. If the judge orders these sentences to run concurrently, Mr. Davies will serve a total of 5 years in prison. The 3-year theft sentence is served simultaneously within the 5-year burglary sentence.

  How it illustrates concurrency: Both sentences are served during the same period. Mr. Davies does not serve 5 years plus an additional 3 years; instead, the longer sentence dictates the total time served, encompassing the shorter one.

• Example 2: Unrelated Crimes Sentenced Together

  Consider Ms. Chen, who commits credit card fraud in one county and, a few months later, is involved in an unrelated incident of reckless driving in another county. She is eventually convicted of both offenses and appears before a judge for sentencing. The judge imposes a 2-year sentence for the credit card fraud and a 1-year sentence for reckless driving. If these sentences are ordered to be concurrent, Ms. Chen will serve a total of 2 years. The 1-year sentence for reckless driving will be completed at the same time as the first year of her 2-year fraud sentence.

  How it illustrates concurrency: Despite the crimes being unrelated and occurring at different times, the court has decided that the periods of incarceration for each will overlap completely, meaning the defendant's total time in custody is determined by the longest single sentence.