SENTENCING GUIDELINES

A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court last week regarding criminal
sentencing guidelines should set off alarms in the Florida judiciary
and Legislature.

The court, by a 5-4 vote, invalidated the state of Washington's
sentencing guidelines insofar as they allowed a judge to impose a
harsher sentence than specified because of evidence not heard by the
jury. Florida has a similar procedure.

Since the decision didn't directly involve Florida, it may be some
time before its impact is known. But the Florida Supreme Court and
leaders of the Legislature should waste no time in studying what kind
of corrective action may be necessary, and whether it can be taken by
judicial rule or would require passage of legislation.

Either way, Florida should be ready to respond as soon as possible.