1. (a) Prior Record Score categories. Determination of the correct Prior Record Score category under this section is based on the type and number of prior convictions (§ 303.5) and prior juvenile adjudications (§ 303.6). There are eight Prior Record Score categories: Repeat Violent Offender (REVOC), Repeat Felony 1 and Felony 2 Offender (RFEL), and point-based categories of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

   1. (1) Repeat Violent Offender Category (REVOC). Offenders who have two or more previous convictions or adjudications for four point offenses (§ 303.7(a)(1) and § 303.15) and whose current conviction carries an Offense Gravity Score of 9 or higher shall be classified in the Repeat Violent Offender Category.
   2. (2) Repeat Felony 1 and Felony 2 Offender Category (RFEL). Offenders who have previous convictions or adjudications for Felony 1 and/or Felony 2 offenses which total 6 or more points in the prior record, and who do not fall within the Repeat Violent Offender Category, shall be classified in the repeat Felony 1 and Felony 2 Offender Category.
   3. (3) Point-based Categories (0—5). Offenders who do not fall into the REVOC or RFEL categories shall be classified in a Point-based Category. The Prior Record Score shall be the sum of the points accrued based on previous convictions or adjudications, up to a maximum of five points.

Source

The provisions of this § 303.4 amended July 5, 1985, and applies to sentences for crimes committed after January 1, 1986, 15 Pa.B. 2447; as announced at 16 Pa.B. 439 (February 15, 1986). Prior guidelines will continue to apply when sentencing crimes committed before January 2, 1986; amended December 4, 1987, effective April 25, 1988, 18 Pa.B. 1916; amended February 15, 1994, effective August 12, 1994, 24 Pa.B. 2483; amended March 14, 1997, effective June 13, 1997, 27 Pa.B. 1252; amended February 9, 2005, effective June 3, 2005, 35 Pa.B. 1508; amended September 5, 2008, effective December 5, 2008, 38 Pa.B. 4971; amended September 13, 2012, effective December 28, 2012, 42 Pa.B. 6072; amended June 6, 2013, effective September 27, 2013, 43 Pa.B. 3655; amended June 1, 2017, effective December 1, 2017, applicable to all sentences for offenses committed on or after January 1, 2018, 47 Pa.B. 5141; amended September 25, 2020, effective January 1, 2021, 50 Pa.B. 5341. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (399064) to (399065).

Notes of Decisions

Deadly Weapon Enhancement

Because the sentencing court failed to consider the guidelines with the deadly weapon enhancement, the sentence must be vacated and the case remanded for resentencing. If the sentencing court then wishes to impose a sentence outside the guidelines, it may do so provided it places adequate reasons for the deviation on the record. Commonwealth v. Magnum, 654 A.2d 1146 (Pa. Super. 1995).

Repeat Felony Offender Designation

Determination of Repeat Felony 1 and Felony 2 Offender Category designation is based on a calculation of points in a defendant’s prior record score rather than the number of convictions or adjudications in his criminal history. Commonwealth v. Johnson, 125 A.3d 822 (Pa. Super. 2015).

Cross References

This section cited in 204 Pa. Code § 303.2 (relating to procedure for determining the guideline sentence); and 204 Pa. Code § 307.1 (relating to preliminary provisions).