Conviction vs. Sentence: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Conviction is the formal declaration that someone is guilty of a criminal offense, while a sentence is the punishment assigned for that offense.
Key Differences
Conviction refers to the act of being found guilty of a crime after a trial, indicating a legal judgment, while a sentence is the specific punishment, like imprisonment or a fine, given following a conviction. Convictions are about guilt determination, sentences are about penalization.
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Dec 01, 2023
The process of conviction involves legal proceedings leading to a verdict, often requiring proof beyond reasonable doubt, whereas sentencing follows a conviction and involves determining the appropriate penalty. Conviction is about legal judgment; sentencing, about penalty imposition.
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Dec 01, 2023
Conviction results from a judicial decision in a criminal trial, affirming someone's guilt, while sentencing is a separate phase where the judge decides the punishment based on laws and guidelines. Convictions confirm guilt; sentences enforce consequences.
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Dec 01, 2023
In the criminal justice system, a conviction is necessary before a sentence can be imposed. The former establishes guilt, while the latter addresses the severity and nature of the punishment. Conviction is a prerequisite for sentencing.
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Dec 01, 2023
Conviction is based on evidence and legal arguments presented during a trial, reflecting the judicial conclusion of guilt, while sentencing often considers factors like criminal history and societal norms. Convictions are grounded in trial outcomes; sentences in legal and moral considerations.
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Dec 01, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Definition
Declaration of guilt in a crime
Punishment assigned for the crime
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Legal Phase
Judgment phase in a trial
Post-conviction punishment determination
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Focus
On establishing guilt or innocence
On determining type and length of punishment
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Influence
Based on evidence and trial
Based on legal guidelines and individual factors
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Dec 01, 2023
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Conviction and Sentence Definitions
Conviction
Certainty in one's beliefs or ideas.
He held his political views with strong conviction.
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Dec 01, 2023
Sentence
The punishment assigned for a crime.
The judge handed down a ten-year sentence.
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Dec 01, 2023
Conviction
The process of being proven guilty of a crime.
The conviction in the fraud case was widely publicized.
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Dec 01, 2023
Sentence
The grammatical unit of words conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command.
Each sentence in her essay was carefully constructed.
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Conviction
A formal declaration of someone's guilt.
The jury's decision led to his conviction for theft.
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Sentence
A set of words that is complete in itself.
The sun sets in the west is a simple sentence.
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Conviction
Strong belief or opinion.
She spoke with conviction about her environmental concerns.
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Sentence
A judicial decree in criminal court.
His sentence was reduced due to good behavior.
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Dec 01, 2023
Conviction
The judgment of a jury or judge that a person is guilty of a crime as charged.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
A grammatical unit that is syntactically independent and has a subject that is expressed or, as in imperative sentences, understood and a predicate that contains at least one finite verb.
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
The state of being found or proved guilty
Evidence that led to the suspect's conviction.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
The penalty imposed by a law court or other authority upon someone found guilty of a crime or other offense.
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
The state or appearance of being convinced
She spoke with real conviction on the matter.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
(Obsolete) An opinion, especially one given formally after deliberation.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
To impose a sentence on (a criminal defendant found guilty, for example).
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
(dated) The decision or judgement of a jury or court; a verdict.
The court returned a sentence of guilt in the first charge, but innocence in the second.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
The judicial order for a punishment to be imposed on a person convicted of a crime.
The judge declared a sentence of death by hanging for the infamous child rapist.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
(obsolete) A saying, especially from a great person; a maxim, an apophthegm.
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
The act of convicting; the act of proving, finding, or adjudging, guilty of an offense.
The greater certainty of conviction and the greater certainty of punishment.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
(grammar) A grammatically complete series of words consisting of a subject and predicate, even if one or the other is implied, and typically beginning with a capital letter and ending with a full stop or other punctuation.
The children were made to construct sentences consisting of nouns and verbs from the list on the chalkboard.
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
A judgment of condemnation entered by a court having jurisdiction; the act or process of finding guilty, or the state of being found guilty of any crime by a legal tribunal.
Conviction may accrue two ways.
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
The act of convincing of error, or of compelling the admission of a truth; confutation.
For all his tedious talk is but vain boast,Or subtle shifts conviction to evade.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
(computing theory) Any of the set of strings that can be generated by a given formal grammar.
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
The state of being convinced or convicted; strong persuasion or belief; especially, the state of being convicted of sin, or by one's conscience.
To call good evil, and evil good, against the conviction of their own consciences.
And did you presently fall under the power of this conviction?
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
An unshakable belief in something without need for proof or evidence
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Conviction
(criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed;
The conviction came as no surprise
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Oct 19, 2023
Conviction
The act of convincing someone of error or wrongdoing.
His argument led to the conviction of his opponent.
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Dec 01, 2023
Sentence
To declare a sentence on a convicted person; to condemn to punishment.
The judge sentenced the embezzler to ten years in prison, along with a hefty fine.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
Sense; meaning; significance.
Tales of best sentence and most solace.
The discourse itself, voluble enough, and full of sentence.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
An opinion; a decision; a determination; a judgment, especially one of an unfavorable nature.
My sentence is for open war.
That by them [Luther's works] we may pass sentence upon his doctrines.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
A philosophical or theological opinion; a dogma; as, Summary of the Sentences; Book of the Sentences.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
In civil and admiralty law, the judgment of a court pronounced in a cause; in criminal and ecclesiastical courts, a judgment passed on a criminal by a court or judge; condemnation pronounced by a judicial tribunal; doom. In common law, the term is exclusively used to denote the judgment in criminal cases.
Received the sentence of the law.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
A short saying, usually containing moral instruction; a maxim; an axiom; a saw.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
A combination of words which is complete as expressing a thought, and in writing is marked at the close by a period, or full point. See Proposition, 4.
He fills, he bounds, connects, and equals all.
A king . . . understanding dark sentences.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
To pass or pronounce judgment upon; to doom; to condemn to punishment; to prescribe the punishment of.
Nature herself is sentenced in your doom.
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
A string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language;
He always spoke in grammatical sentences
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
(criminal law) a final judgment of guilty in a criminal case and the punishment that is imposed;
The conviction came as no surprise
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
The period of time a prisoner is imprisoned;
He served a prison term of 15 months
His sentence was 5 to 10 years
He is doing time in the county jail
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
Pronounce a sentence on (somebody) in a court of law;
He was condemned to ten years in prison
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Oct 19, 2023
Sentence
The act of stating a legal judgment.
The sentence for the misdemeanor was a fine.
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Dec 01, 2023
Repeatedly Asked Queries
What determines a sentence?
Legal guidelines, nature of the crime, and individual factors.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can you have a sentence without a conviction?
No, sentencing follows and depends on a conviction.
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Dec 01, 2023
What is a sentence in criminal justice?
The punishment given for a crime following a conviction.
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Can a conviction be appealed?
Yes, the convicted party can appeal against a conviction.
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Is a conviction always for criminal cases?
Yes, in the legal context, it pertains to criminal offenses.
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Dec 01, 2023
How long after a conviction is a sentence given?
It varies, but sentencing typically follows shortly after a conviction.
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What’s an example of a conviction?
Being found guilty of robbery in a court of law.
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Are sentences always prison terms?
No, sentences can include fines, community service, etc.
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What’s an example of a sentence?
Receiving a five-year prison term for a felony.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is a conviction public record?
Generally, convictions are part of public record.
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What does conviction mean in law?
Legal declaration of someone's guilt in a crime.
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Dec 01, 2023
Does a conviction require a jury?
Not always; it depends on the legal system and case.
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Dec 01, 2023
Is a death sentence still used?
It depends on the jurisdiction; some still use it.
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Dec 01, 2023
What affects the severity of a sentence?
Factors like criminal history and the crime’s nature.
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Dec 01, 2023
Do all crimes lead to long sentences?
No, the sentence length varies widely based on the crime.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can you be convicted without evidence?
Convictions typically require substantial evidence.
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Dec 01, 2023
Can convictions be expunged?
In some cases, convictions can be expunged or sealed.
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What is a life sentence?
A sentence of imprisonment for the rest of the convict’s life.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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