National procedures re enforcement of sentences imposed

Commonwealth of Dominica

Dominica - Criminal Law and Procedure Act 1993

PART IX
PUNISHMENT

58. Sentence to commence from day of passing same.

The period of imprisonment, in pursuance of any sentence, shall commence on and from the day of passing the sentence, but no time, during which the convict may be out on bail, shall be reckoned as part of the term of imprisonment to which he is sentenced.

59. Court may award imprisonment for a subsequent offence, before expiration of imprisonment for prior offence, to commence on expiration of first imprisonment.

Whenever sentence is passed for an offence on a person already imprisoned under sentence for another crime, the Court may award imprisonment, for the subsequent offence, to commence at the expiration of the imprisonment to which such person has been previously sentenced ; and where such person is already under sentence of imprisonment, the Court may award sentence, for the subsequent offence, to commence at the expiration of the imprisonment for which such person has been previously sentenced, although the aggregate term of imprisonment may exceed the term for which the punishment could otherwise have been awarded.

Rome Statute

Article 103 Role of States in enforcement of sentences of imprisonment

1.

(a) A sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a State designated by the Court from a list of States which have indicated to the Court their willingness to accept sentenced persons.

(b) At the time of declaring its willingness to accept sentenced persons, a State may attach conditions to its acceptance as agreed by the Court and in accordance with this Part.

(c) A State designated in a particular case shall promptly inform the Court whether it accepts the Court's designation.

2.

(a) The State of enforcement shall notify the Court of any circumstances, including the exercise of any conditions agreed under paragraph 1, which could materially affect the terms or extent of the imprisonment. The Court shall be given at least 45 days' notice of any such known or foreseeable circumstances. During this period, the State of enforcement shall take no action that might prejudice its obligations under article 110.

(b) Where the Court cannot agree to the circumstances referred to in subparagraph (a), it shall notify the State of enforcement and proceed in accordance with article 104, paragraph 1.

3. In exercising its discretion to make a designation under paragraph 1, the Court shall take into account the following:

(a) The principle that States Parties should share the responsibility for enforcing sentences of imprisonment, in accordance with principles of equitable distribution, as provided in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence;

(b) The application of widely accepted international treaty standards governing the treatment of prisoners;

(c) The views of the sentenced person;

(d) The nationality of the sentenced person;

(e) Such other factors regarding the circumstances of the crime or the person sentenced, or the effective enforcement of the sentence, as may be appropriate in designating the State of enforcement.

4. If no State is designated under paragraph 1, the sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a prison facility made available by the host State, in accordance with the conditions set out in the headquarters agreement referred to in article 3, paragraph 2. In such a case, the costs arising out of the enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment shall be borne by the Court.