What is the difference between 125 years in prison versus Life in prison?

The most important difference is the rules for parole.

Probably that life is shorter.

It really does all depend on the law wherever this is and what it says a sentence MEANS. It might provide for the possibility of release very early, so if the judge wants to make sure of a good long time in prison, he or she might want to make it impossibly long (like 125 years) to make sure of that.

For example, take Dennis Rader, the BTK killer in Kansas. He committed ten torture murders, Kansas didn't have the death penalty at the time so life for each of those was the only option, and Kansas law said that life meant the possibility of release on parole after 15 years. Unless the crime was so bad that the judge can make it more than 15 years. So to make it certain there is no possibility of him ever being released, the judge got inventive. He sentenced Rader to 10 CONSECUTIVE life sentences, with a minimum of 40 years on the last one because it was particularly bad. (9 x 15) + 40 = 175 years. That ought to do it!

Of course no law ever says that 125 years is possible because that's plain stupid. You only get this when there is more than one crime, there should be a sentence for each one, and the judge can decide to make those consecutive - served one after the other. Like with Rader. (You can also have concurrent sentences - say there are several charges but these are only for technical legal reasons and really they're all for the same thing. Then the judge can make all the sentences concurrent so only the longest one really counts. He or she can look at it all together and mix and match to make a total sentence of what seems right.)

If you have a legal system where life without parole is possible, and sentences mean what they say, there's no need for this. Some US states do this - if the judge wants to make sure the guy never gets out, and life without parole is possible for this crime, he or she can give that as the sentence. Job done!

For an example of that, I'm British, and that's what we do. We have only two kinds of prison sentence, determinate sentences and life. And we don't allow time off for good behaviour - be good in prison and you move up on the Incentives and Earned Privileges Scheme. That's how we reward that. Allowing time off for good behaviour is a big reason why a judge might go for an impossible sentence like 125 years.

A determinate sentence always means release after half the time and probation for the other half. And the judge knows that, so he or she can say "the sentence is X years" knowing it will mean release after X/2. A life sentence always has to come with a minimum custodial period, or it can be a whole life term that means "no release ever".

Simple, uh? For an example of that, two Muslim terrorists beat a British soldier to death on a London street. We don't have the death penalty, we got rid of that 52 years ago, so life is the mandatory sentence for murder. One got life with a whole life term, the other got life with a minimum of 45 years. And we KNOW that is exactly what they will serve.

Totally depends on the state. Unless it says "life without possibility of parole", a life sentence can be as little as 25 years. With good behavior, you can be out in less.

Same with 125. It can be reduced by good behavior, but even if they cut it half, it is still 72 1/2 years.

"Life" is 25 - 30 years.
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A life sentence is a prison term that typically lasts for one's lifetime. However, an individual may be able to receive a sentence that could potentially allow them to be released at some point. For example, a judge may impose a sentence of 30 years to life with a chance of parole.
What Is a Life Sentence? - Definition, Length & Statistics - Video ...
https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-is-a-life-sentence-definition-length-statistics.html

in some states, parole is limited to after serving 2/3rds [or similar figure] of the sentence. 125 years, even at 60 percent [max time off for good behavior] is still 75 years. add 75 min to serve to age of defendant ... and you realize that he will NEVER get out alive.

"life" in same states implies 60 years and thus minimum time served might be a short as 36 years -- which could release him when he's in his 60s

When you can be released early.

Parole eligibility.

If you're sentenced to life, you could be out in 15 to 20 years.
If you're sentenced to 125 years, you'll likely die in prison.

Sentences with 100+ years are often symbolic in nature, used to represent the seriousness of multiple offenses.

There is something else to the multiple life sentences: the loss of possible parole, which most prisoners have the chance at.

In mosat nations, Life only means 25 years.

people are living longer these days, you never know!

Life means there's a chance they may get parole.

Life can be commutted to as little as 15 years .125 years is no parole, you won't get out, ever.

About 60-90 years.

In at least some states the only way to get 125 years is if you are convicted of more than one crime. Any conviction can be overturned so conviction of more than one crime means it is less likely you will ever get out.

A term of life usually means there is a chance of parole in the future
125 years makes sure that doesn't happen

there is no difference, 125 is just used to make it seem longer

Still gets good time though. The standard is typically 1/3rd off. Which of 125 years is roughly 41.6 years. Although it is extremely unlikely that factored in with eligibility for parol, if given by the sentencing judge at sentencing, the convict could conceivably be let out before he or she dies. Where as with a life sentence there is no good time. A life sentence in most cases comes without eligibility of parol too. In other words, the convict will most likely die in jail.

Same ****.

The difference between 125 years in prison versus life in prison is that if you could live that long, then you would be out of prison after those 125 years are over; while life in prison means that no matter how long you live; you will remain in prison.

Here in Scotland UK 125 years means you will die in prison but if you get life it can be anything from 8-25 year, I know of people who got out after 8 years but on parole

Pretty much the same thing. Life just means you will never get out, period. 125 means if you’re still alive by then, you can go. But you won’t be so it’s the same sh*t. I suppose if you had extremely good behavior and that lessened your sentence and made you eligible for parole, then you might be lucky enough to spend your last few year alive on the outside. Although extremely unlikely. But yeah, people who have good behavior serve 2 days on their sentence for every one in real time. So yeah, I can see how that might be preferable to life in prison.