Concurrent and Consecutive Sentences

In sentencing law, "concurrent sentences" means that if a person is convicted of multiple crimes, they will serve the sentences for those crimes at the same time. For example, if sentenced to 5 years for one crime and 3 years for another, they serve a total of 5 years. In contrast, "consecutive sentences" means that the sentences are served one after the other. Using the same example, the person would serve a total of 8 years (5 years for the first crime followed by 3 years for the second). This approach affects the total time spent in prison.