Courts were established centuries ago to provide justice to all members of society. With law and order, the current form of human civilization can not be possible. It is a law that protects people’s fundamental rights and gives them punishment and justice. For guilty people, life sentence and life imprisonment are two punishments issued by courts.
Life Sentence vs Life Imprisonment
The main difference between a life sentence and life imprisonment is that the life sentence is the standard form of punishment that has a person spend the rest of his life in a predetermined prison. On the other hand, life imprisonment is considered a new clause introduced to the world after the 1955 amendment in IPC.
A life sentence is a punishment for spending the rest of his life in prison. There is a well-described list of crimes for which a person can receive the discipline of a life sentence. It is imposed by the court of law if the person being accused of a respective crime is convicted.
Life imprisonment is also another form of a life sentence, and it is also associated with keeping the guilty in prison for the rest of his natural life. But it can be shortened if the person under punishment gets paroled or pardoned by the court’s jury. Yet, it can last until the day of the person’s death.
Comparison Table Between Life Sentence and Life Imprisonment
What is Life Sentence?
The intensity of the life sentence punishment can be understood by the fact that it is compared to a death sentence. The judge imposes life sentence punishment on a convicted person. A defaulter who’s committed crimes such as manslaughter, murder, rape is liable to get a life sentence.
There has been a misconception about a defaulter being released after completing fourteen years in prison, but it is not correct. An offender has to spend the rest of his life in the cell. Only the state government can make a specific exception where It can release a prisoner finishing his life sentence. But to enjoy such facility, the subject of a life sentence has to fulfill some conditions.
Another factor about a life sentence is that the state government typically decides the duration of a life sentence. This duration can be 14 years, 20 years, 30 years, or maybe the entire life until death. The decision that affects the course of a life sentence is based on the defaulter’s behavior, family situation, and mental and physical health during the trial.
Life sentence punishment is categorized into two categories that are life sentence for severe and second listed offenses. These categories describe the judge’s circumstances to impose a life sentence on a person. If the conditions don’t match, it wouldn’t be justifying.
What is Life Imprisonment?
Life imprisonment is a punishment that the person found guilty during convection will remain in prison until he stops breathing. Life imprisonment is imposed upon people when each court has claimed that he’s a defaulter and must be punished by law. Life imprisonment is one the most torturous punishments one can ever receive.
Life imprisonment is considered more humane and less harsh because, in some severe cases, the death sentence remains the only option. In such circumstances, life imprisonment can offer a person his life but in the cell. It is a penalty code from the IPC of 1860, which was modified in 1955. Now, the amendment form of life imprisonment is followed in court.
Life imprisonment is generally about life sentences, but the competent government can shorten it by following Art. 432 CRPC. Life Imprisonment should not be less than fourteen years. But this idea of fourteen years is wrong because life Imprisonment means until death.
The general structure of life imprisonment has four goals to accomplish: gradually punishment, deterrence, protection, and rehabilitation. Crimes that can get a person liable to receive life imprisonment are murder, conspiracy or starting a war against the government of India, abduction or kidnapping, presenting false evidence in court, etc.
Main Differences Between Life Sentence and Life Imprisonment
- The concept of life sentences emerged from 1972 to 1976. On the other hand, life imprisonment was introduced by an amendment in 1955.
- The primary purpose of a life sentence is to promote ‘life means life’ because it was introduced to be the alternative to the death penalty. On the other hand, life imprisonment has four well-structured purposes.
- A life sentence is described to spend the rest of the life in prison by a defaulter. On the other hand, life imprisonment means spending the life in a cell until someone stops breathing.
- A person is given a life sentence for crimes like manslaughter, rape, drug trafficking, murder, etc. On the other hand, conspiracy against the government fabricating the evidence is a crime that is punished by giving life imprisonment.
- A life sentence is generally given by a chief judicial magistrate, who also initiates other corrections. On the other hand, life imprisonment is associated with the state government.
Conclusion
Suppose there was no law and order, and a person commits a serious crime by dealing severe damage to another person. Then the guilty person will get away without any problem, and the victims will be left with traumatic experiences for the rest of their lives.
There should be an organization that provides justice to the people in such circumstances, and the answer is courted. Courts have been categorized into several divisions to help people at every level.
A court is an independent entity and even settled the conflict between governments. No one can claim ownership over the court but only seek justice from it.
References
- https://www.jstor.org/stable/23636606
- https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=E1DQIzNfH8MC&oi=fnd&pg=PR15&dq=life+imprisonment&ots=85xniDQk5M&sig=4RAnVET610n1GLYmI1Qm0suGasc