Criminal Intent To Be Used As A Factor In Sentencing

Sentencing guidelines in Michigan will be updated to include criminal intent when smaller crimes are committed under a bill signed into law by the governor.

Previously not every statute took into account if someone meant to break the law.

The new law would change that by putting a default criminal intent standard in place.

In the past people have been convicted of something they didn’t know was against the law.

Michael Reitz, with the Mackinac Center, says the intent to commit a crime plays a key role in deciding if someone is guilty.