I *knew* it - Most don't know difference between concurrent and consecutiv

[OwlHoot]

Just had the Weakest Link on in the background, and one contestant was asked "what 'C' is several prison sentences served simultaneously", and the daft cow answered "consecutive".

I'm sure she isn't the only one confused, and have long suspected that actually the vast majority of people are hazy about the distinction, and the Government relies on this woeful ignorance to con people that the justice system is stricter than it is (to save money on prison places).

On the off-chance that anyone reading this isn't sure either (very unlikely, but you never know):

"Concurrent" (adj) Commit ten murders and get the same sentence as for one; what the British justice system uses.

"Consecutive" (adj) Serve full sentence for each conviction, and then start on the next sentence for the next, and so on; what the US justice system uses.

[Pogle]

Just had the Weakest Link on in the background, and one contestant was asked "what 'C' is several prison sentences served simultaneously", and the daft cow answered "consecutive".

I'm sure she isn't the only one confused, and have long suspected that actually the vast majority of people are hazy about the distinction, and the Government relies on this woeful ignorance to con people that the justice system is stricter than it is (to save money on prison places).

On the off-chance that anyone reading this isn't sure either (very unlikely, but you never know):

"Concurrent" (adj) Commit ten murders and get the same sentence as for one; what the British justice system uses.

"Consecutive" (adj) Serve full sentence for each conviction, and then start on the next sentence for the next, and so on; what the US justice system uses.

I do

[Pondlife]

I do

WTGPS.

[Bagpuss]

It's hardly the most ignorant thing ever said on The Weakest Link

[expat]

Difference between series and parallel. Several girlfriends in series, cool. Several girlfriends in parallel, could get difficult.

[VectraMan]

Several girlfriends in parallel, could get difficult.

Okay as long as they never meet. Which being parallel, they won't.

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Extrapolating a single answer in a manky quiz show is hardly a rigorous statistical study. Sentencing is done by Judges not the government.

HTH

[BrowneIssue]

Okay as long as they never meet. Which being parallel, they won't.

Have one ampere point.

[NickFitz]

"Concurrent" (adj) Commit ten murders and get the same sentence as for one; what the British justice system uses.

"Consecutive" (adj) Serve full sentence for each conviction, and then start on the next sentence for the next, and so on; what the US justice system uses.

Not correct. People are sometimes given sentences by English courts that are to run consecutively, although concurrent sentences are more common.

[ASB]

Webster's implies that infer is an acceptable definition of imply.