Counting the Cost of Sentencing in North Carolina, 1980-2000 (From Crime and Justice: A Review of Research Volume 29, P 39-112, 2002, Michael Tonry, ed., -- See NCJ-198375)

• NCJ Number: 198377
• Author(s): Ronald F. Wright
• Date Published: 2002
• Length: 73 pages
• Sale Source: University of Chicago Press
• Publication Format: Book (Hardbound)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This chapter discusses the results of legislation in North Carolina that was designed to match sentencing by judges to prison use priorities.

Abstract

The chapter includes a review of legislative history related to sentencing in North Carolina. The Fair Sentencing Act of 1979 focused on the need to reduce judge's sentence disparities, but judges reverted to earlier practices within 5 years as there was no enforcement mechanism. In 1993, the Structured Sentencing Act focused on changing the State's prison-use priorities and tightly controlled judges' decisions, lengthening prison terms for violent crimes and increasing the use of community and intermediate non-prison punishments for less serious non-property offenders. This was effective for 5 years, however, appellate judges have remained uninvolved in sentencing policy and hence no common law of sentencing has evolved. Also, prosecutors are obtaining more felony convictions overall and are dismissing or discounting more charges. Tables include, information on Fair Sentencing Act effects on prison sentences for felonies; percentage of active terms imposed for felony convictions; offense class, 1995-2000; and habitual felon convictions with class of most serious previous felony. A list of references is included.