Does a person ever get sentenced to jail or prison for a 1st offense?
The answer depends on the circumstances and the charges against a person. There are certain felonies that require a mandatory prison sentence if convicted. The most common example of this is a charge of felony 2nd degree assault. Often people involved in a bar fight are charged with this crime if someone breaks a bone or someone gets hit with a beer bottle. If convicted of 2nd degree assault, a court has no option but to sentence a person to at least five years in prison despite a person having no prior criminal record. Even the lowest level misdemeanor in Colorado carries the potential of up to 6 months in the county jail. A competent attorney can help you reduce your exposure to incarceration time and advocate for alternate sentences such as probation, house arrest, or work release.
