Sentencing Timeline Calculator

See what a prison sentence actually means in time served. Adjust good-time credits, parole eligibility, pretrial custody, and watch the timeline update instantly.

Source: @BNONews — Harvey Weinstein sentenced to 15 years in NY sexual assault case

Sentence Parameters

NY Defaults Loaded

Jurisdiction Preset

Presets set good-time rate, parole eligibility %, and max good-time cap. Custom lets you edit all values.

Imposed Sentence (years)

Total sentence imposed by the court. For multiple counts, enter the aggregate after consecutive/concurrent calculation.

Good-Time Credit Rate (days earned per 30 served)

10 /30 days

NY: 1/3 off (10 days per 30 served) for determinate sentences. Federal: 54 days/year (~4.5/30). Varies by state.

Max Good-Time Cap (% of sentence)

33 %

Maximum good-time reduction as percentage of imposed sentence. NY determinate: 1/3 (33%). Some states cap at 15-20%.

Parole Eligibility (% of sentence served)

67 %

NY determinate violent felonies: 6/7 (≈85%). Non-violent: 1/2 (50%). Federal: 85% for most. Life sentences vary.

Pretrial Custody Credit (days)

Days spent in custody before sentencing. Usually credited day-for-day. Enter 0 if unknown or not applicable.

Sentencing Date

Date sentence was imposed. Used to calculate calendar dates for milestones.

Additional Factors

Merit Time Eligible (additional 1/6 off for program completion)

Shock Incarceration / Boot Camp Eligible

Persistent Felony Offender Enhancement Applied

Timeline Visualization

Time Served Good-Time Credit Parole Eligibility Pretrial Custody Remaining if Max

Adjust parameters to see the timeline

All calculations update instantly as you change values

How This Works

Good-Time Credits

Most jurisdictions award "good-time" or "earned-time" credits for good behavior and program participation. This reduces the actual time served.

Rate: Days of credit earned per 30 days served (e.g., 10/30 = 1/3 off)
Cap: Maximum reduction as % of imposed sentence (NY determinate: 33%)
The calculator applies the lesser of earned credits vs. the cap

Parole Eligibility

Parole eligibility is the earliest point an inmate can be considered for release — not a guarantee of release.

NY violent felonies (determinate): 6/7 of sentence (~85%)
NY non-violent (indeterminate): minimum period set by judge
Federal: 85% for most offenses (18 USC §3624)
Life sentences: varies widely by state

Pretrial Custody Credit

Time spent in jail before sentencing is typically credited day-for-day against the imposed sentence.

Applies to both the maximum term and parole eligibility
Credit may be denied if held on unrelated charges
Enter the total days credited by the court

NY-Specific Factors

New York has additional mechanisms that can further reduce time served:

Merit Time: Additional 1/6 off minimum for eligible non-violent offenders who complete programs (Correction Law §803)
Shock Incarceration: "Boot camp" program for eligible younger offenders — can cut years off
Persistent Felony: Enhancement that increases minimums, not modeled in reduction

Reading the Timeline

The visualization shows the sentence as a horizontal bar from sentencing date forward:

■ Time Served — Actual incarceration after all credits
■ Good-Time — Credits earned (reduces time served)
■ Pretrial Custody — Pre-sentence jail time credited
▲ Parole Eligibility — Earliest parole hearing date
■ Remaining — Time left if serving maximum

Limitations & Disclaimers

This is an educational estimator, not legal advice. Actual release dates depend on:

Parole board discretion (eligibility ≠ release)
Disciplinary infractions (can lose good-time)
Program availability and completion
Changes in law or policy
Consecutive vs. concurrent counting rules
Medical parole, compassionate release, clemency

Always consult a qualified attorney for case-specific calculations.

Export & Share

Use the export buttons to save your calculation:

JSON: Complete calculation data for programmatic use
CSV: Spreadsheet-friendly summary
PNG: Timeline visualization image

Exports include all parameters, computed values, and a timestamp for reproducibility.