Statutory Aggravating Factors are circumstances, as defined by a state's criminal code, that can increase the severity of a criminal sentence. These factors are used to determine whether a defendant should receive a harsher sentence than what is typically mandated by law. Common Statutory Aggravating Factors include prior criminal record, use of a deadly weapon, committing a crime against a vulnerable victim, committing a crime in a particularly cruel or heinous manner, and committing a crime with the intent to gain a financial benefit. Other types of Statutory Aggravating Factors are known as "victim-based" factors, which are used to determine the severity of a sentence based on the characteristics of the victim involved in a criminal offense. Victim-based factors can include the age of the victim, the physical or mental health of the victim, and the status of the victim (e.g., elderly person, child, or disabled individual).