Legal Definitions - intermittent sentence

An intermittent sentence is a type of punishment where a convicted individual serves their jail time in separate, non-continuous blocks, rather than all at once. This form of sentencing is typically used for shorter periods of incarceration and is designed to allow the individual to maintain employment, care for family, or attend to other critical responsibilities during the times they are not incarcerated.

• Example 1: Weekend Confinement

  Imagine a graphic designer who is convicted of a minor offense and receives a 45-day jail sentence. To prevent the loss of their job and income, the judge might impose an intermittent sentence. This could mean the designer serves their 45 days by reporting to a correctional facility every Friday evening and being released Sunday evening for 22 consecutive weekends, with one additional day at the end. This arrangement allows them to continue working their full-time job during the week.

  How it illustrates the term: The sentence is served in distinct, non-continuous segments (weekends) rather than one unbroken period, directly fitting the definition of an intermittent sentence.

• Example 2: Nightly Reporting

  Consider a single parent who is convicted of a non-violent misdemeanor and is sentenced to 30 days in jail. To ensure they can continue to care for their children and maintain their employment, the court might order them to serve their sentence intermittently. This could involve reporting to a correctional facility each weekday evening after work and being released each morning before their children need to go to school. They might also be required to spend full weekends at the facility until the 30 days are complete.

  How it illustrates the term: The individual's incarceration is broken into daily or multi-day segments, allowing them to fulfill essential daytime responsibilities while still completing their court-ordered punishment in a discontinuous manner.

• Example 3: Seasonal Service

  A fisherman is convicted of a regulatory violation and receives a 60-day jail sentence. His livelihood depends heavily on the fishing season, which runs from spring through late fall. A judge might impose an intermittent sentence, allowing him to serve his 60 days in two separate 30-day blocks during the off-season (e.g., 30 days in January and 30 days in February). This prevents him from losing his income and potentially his boat during the critical fishing months.

  How it illustrates the term: The sentence is divided into distinct, non-consecutive periods (two separate months in the off-season), demonstrating how an intermittent sentence can be structured to accommodate unique circumstances like seasonal employment.