The Delaware Sentencing Accountability Commission (SENTAC)
The
Delaware Sentencing Accountability Commission (SENTAC), was established
under Title
11, §6580 
of the Delaware Code.
The overarching purpose for the creation of the Commission was
to establish
a system that emphasizes accountability of the offender to
the criminal justice system and accountability of the criminal
justice
system to the public.
The Benchbook
In fulfillment of its purpose, the Commission
created sentencing guidelines, embodied in what Delaware refers
to as the "Benchbook." These guidelines were approved
of and implemented by Administrative
Directive
Seventy-Six of the Supreme Court of Delaware in 1987. The
guidelines themselves are designed to ensure certain and consistent
punishment commensurate with the seriousness of the offense and
taking
into consideration resource
availability and cost. It should be noted that Delaware’s
sentencing guidelines are voluntary and non-binding, and as such,
in the absence of constitutional violations, are not generally
subject to appeal.
The Benchbook is designed to assist sentencing judges, prosecutors,
defense attorneys and other participants within the sentencing
communicty in the formulation of sentences that are consistent
with the goals of
sentencing reform
promulgated
by
SENTAC. The overall
sentencing philosophy of the General Assembly and SENTAC is that
offenders should be sentenced to the least restrictive
and most cost-effective sanction possible given the severity of
the offense, the criminal history of the offender and the focus,
which
is, above all, to protect the public’s safety. Other goals
in order of priority include: (1) Incapacitation of the violence-prone
offender; (2) restoration of the victim as nearly as possible to
the victim’s pre-offense status, and (3) rehabilitation of
the offender. (64 Del. Laws, c. 402 § 1)
The Benchbook is revised annually to reflect legislative changes since the
passage
of the Truth in Sentencing Act of 1989. The most recent version of the Benchbook
can be downloaded here: Benchbook
2008(02/2008)
Meetings
The Commission holds regular meetings which are posted on the Statewide Calendar to review relevant sentencing matters. The Commission addresses general policy issues only and does not discuss specific or individual cases.
Conferences
In an effort to ensure that SENTAC is fulfilling its goal of accountability both within the criminal justice system and to the public as a whole, conferences are held when necessary to gather and disseminate information.
Annual Highlights
A brief summary of the year's activities: Updates 
Commission Members
The Commission consists of eleven members: four members of the judiciary to be appointed by the Chief Justice, the Attorney General, the Public Defender, the Commissioner of Correction and four members at large, two of whom are appointed by the Governor, one who is appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one who is appointed by the Speaker of the House.
The Chairman of the Commission is the Honorable William C. Carpenter, Jr. of the Superior Court of Delaware.
Contact
information for the Commission Members
For more information on SENTAC, please contact:
Tiffany Foster by
phone: (302) 577-8717 or Ronald
Keen by phone: (302) 577-8727, Coordinators
