what is a suspended sentence

A suspended sentence is a legal arrangement in which a person who has been found guilty of a crime is not sentenced to jail but may be sentenced for that crime at a future time if he or she commits another crime during the probation period. The judge may partially or entirely suspend the convicted individuals prison or jail sentence so long as they fulfill certain conditions, such as serving a period of probation. The true objective of suspended sentencing is to rehabilitate and encourage a convicted defendant to be of good behavior. A suspended sentence typically means that a conviction will remain on a person’s criminal record. It is important to note that a suspended sentence is different from probation, which is a type of alternative to jail where a defendant serves their sentence in the community under the supervision of the judge or a probation officer.