Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing – Harrisburg, PA

Sentencing Guidelines and Criminal Justice Policy

Agency Overview

The Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing is a legislative agency of the General Assembly, located in the historic Forum Building within the State Capitol Complex. Established in 1978, the Commission is tasked with creating a consistent and rational statewide sentencing policy. By developing and monitoring sentencing guidelines, the agency aims to promote fairness and uniformity in judicial decisions, ensuring that sentences are proportionate to the severity of the crime and the offender’s criminal history.

Core Functions

The Commission creates the framework that judges use daily in courtrooms across the Commonwealth. Key responsibilities include:

• Sentencing Guidelines: adopting and updating the matrix of recommended sentences for felonies and misdemeanors.
• Risk Assessment: Developing tools to assist courts in determining an offender’s risk of recidivism.
• Parole Guidelines: Establishing standards for state and county parole and recommitment actions.
• Data Analysis: Collecting and analyzing sentencing data to report on trends and compliance to the legislature and the public.

Public and Professional Resources

While the office is administrative, it serves as a critical resource for judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and probation officers. The Commission provides training seminars, help desk support for the SGS Web application (used to calculate guidelines), and publishes extensive reports on criminal justice statistics. They also hold public hearings to gather input on proposed changes to the guidelines.

Visiting the Forum Building

The Commission’s offices are housed in the Forum Building, a landmark known for its Art Deco design and the Forum Auditorium. As a government facility, visitors must pass through security screening. Most interactions with the general public occur through their website or public hearings, rather than walk-in visits to the administrative office.