What does it mean for a sentence to be served concurrently?

When a sentence is served concurrently, it means that two or more sentences are being carried out at the same time. This means that the individual's total time served is determined by the longest sentence being served, rather than having to complete each sentence one after another. For instance, if a person is sentenced to two years for one charge and three years for another, and both sentences are served concurrently, they would only serve a total of three years in prison, rather than five. This structure is often utilized in the judicial system to promote efficiency in serving sentences and can lead to earlier release for individuals serving multiple sentences.