indeterminate sentence

noun

, Criminal Law.

1. a penalty, imposed by a court, that has relatively wide limits or no limits, as one of imprisonment for one to ten years.

indeterminate sentence

noun

1. law a prison sentence the length of which depends on the prisoner's conduct

Word History and Origins

Origin of indeterminate sentence¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

The failure to create those records will likely have a negative impact on early release requests because the Indeterminate Sentence Review Board, which oversees prison releases, might presume the transfer was due to the individual being categorized as “dangerous,” according to the suit.

From Seattle Times

He was convicted and given an indeterminate sentence of one year to life and spent the next decade at California’s Soledad and San Quentin prisons, much of it in solitary confinement.

From Seattle Times

The judge sentenced O'Neill to a minimum of 22 years for murder and an indeterminate sentence of seven years for arson to be served concurrently.

From BBC

Despite opposition from the victims’ families, the state’s Indeterminate Sentence Review Board last month unanimously found Pauley rehabilitated and eligible for parole, following a hearing at which he noted he had completed years of counseling for drug and alcohol abuse and for post-traumatic stress disorder for a workplace injury he suffered before the killings.

From Seattle Times

The state and defense jointly recommended Teel be sentenced to a minimum of 8½ years in prison, though his sentence can be extended if the state Indeterminate Sentence Review Board determines Teel is more likely than not to commit another sex offense if released, court records show.

From Seattle Times