NCJ Number
178037
Date Published
1998
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This research examined whether, as the researchers predicted, truth-in-sentencing prison inmates with short sentences, no time off for good behavior, and no parole eligibility have more disciplinary infractions than pre-truth-in- sentencing inmates with long sentences, much time off for good behavior, and parole eligibility.
Abstract
The researchers compared the disciplinary convictions of fair-sentencing (pre-truth-in-sentencing law) and structured- sentencing (truth-in-sentencing law) inmates admitted to North Carolina prisons from June 1, 1995, through August 30, 1996. No disciplinary conviction data were collected after this period. Male and female inmates of all ages were included. The following control variables were used: conviction-felony class, prior days in North Carolina prisons, jail credit days, race, sex, age, whether the inmate was a probation revokee, and number of prior incarcerations in North Carolina prisons or, in some analyses, infraction rate during prior North Carolina incarcerations. The use of these control variables enabled the researchers to determine whether differences in the two groups were attributable to differences in the sentencing policies under which they were incarcerated. Based on the findings, the most important and most general implication of the research is that unless control measures are effectively applied to inmates under a structured sentencing regimen, prison administrators can expect the rate of disciplinary infractions of such inmates to continue to increase substantially as the percentage of the inmate population under structured sentences increases. Such inmates can be expected to be significantly more likely to commit assaultive infractions than inmates incarcerated under the fair-sentencing regimen. 2 tables