The decision in a court of law that someone is not guilty of a criminal offence.
courts had the power of non-conviction by use of good behaviour bonds
Example sentencesExamples
I assume non-conviction brings a mere 5 years from a merciful judge at a penitentiary with ping pong, volleyball, DVDs, or at a minimum, a weight room.
The Criminal Records (Clean Slate) Act originally had a 10-year period for non-reoffending, but I listened to what the select committee had heard in submissions, and the clear evidence was that after 7 years of non-conviction, one is no more likely than anyone else to be a repeat offender.
Rehabilitation with non-conviction provides balance to sentencing options.
But non-conviction under S10 (roughly the old S556A Crimes Act) was only seen in unusual or extenuating circumstances.
He had been granted a certificate of non-conviction by the Coalition Provisional Authority - meaning that they were satisfied that he had not participated in the numerous atrocities.
Judge Dean set aside the magistrates' order, allowed the appeal and released Adams on a non-conviction, two-year bond to be of good behaviour.
Still, Darvish's acquittal in the first trial and Morse's non-conviction doesn't signal a return to the bad old days of lawless police officers.