Sentencing Codes: What Are They?

Print anything with Printful



Conviction codes are used to identify specific crimes in law enforcement, insurance, and motor agencies. Different jurisdictions may use different codes, and similar crimes may have similar codes. Even minor offenses can have their own codes, and vehicle conviction codes can affect driver’s licenses and insurance rates.

A conviction code is typically a number, or a combination of letters and numbers, used in law enforcement to identify a particular type of crime. For example, a jurisdiction may assign a single sentencing code for homicide and a different code for petty theft. Sometimes insurance companies and motor agencies also use condemnation codes. In such cases, they can be used for the enforcement of fines and for setting insurance rates.

The code used for a given conviction may depend on the jurisdiction where an offense was committed. In some places, code 187 is used to identify a homicide, but in other jurisdictions homicide may be given an entirely different code. Intentional homicide has the sentence code 192 in some places while torture is identified by the sentence code 206 in others. Because different jurisdictions may use different sentencing codes, an individual may need to check the criminal code of her jurisdiction to find the ones that apply in her area.

Often, crimes that fall into the same category are assigned similar sentencing codes. For example, in some places, the felony of desecrating a flag may have the conviction code 2102 while the felony of flag insulting may have the penal code 2103. Similarly, first-degree murder may be assigned a code which includes a number and letter, such as 2502(a), in places. Second-degree murder in the same jurisdiction may be assigned the code 2502(b), and third-degree murder may be assigned the code 2502(c).

While the sentencing codes for serious crimes such as murder may be the most familiar to the average person, less serious types of crimes can also have their own sentencing codes. For example, false advertising is a criminal offense in some places and may have its own criminal code. Similarly, theft from a library may have a unique sentencing code in some jurisdictions.

Vehicle Conviction Codes can be used by courts, motor vehicle departments, and insurance companies. For example, a department of motor vehicles may use these codes to determine which points, which are derogatory marks, will apply to a person’s driver’s license. An insurance company can use these codes to decide whether to offer insurance to an individual or how much to charge them. In many cases, vehicle conviction codes are used to identify anything from disobeying a traffic officer to killing someone with a motor vehicle.




Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN


Skip to content