NCJ Number
180322
Journal
Justice Research and Policy Volume: 1 Issue: 2 Dated: Fall 1999 Pages: 43-59
Editor(s)
Robert F. McManus,
Charles F. Wellford
Date Published
1999
Length
17 pages
Annotation
This study intersected Georgia and North Carolina criminal codes and 1996 Georgia felony offender cohort data, including the prior criminal history of each offender, to recreate sentences for the Georgia cohort using the North Carolina guidelines.
Abstract
The analysis revealed that, if the North Carolina guidelines had been imposed on the 1996 population, over 3,700 Georgia felony offenders would have received a prison sentence instead of probation. The analysis also showed that over 2,200 offenders who were admitted into Georgia's prison system as a result of a felony conviction would have received probation sentences under the North Carolina guidelines. The "net" increase in prison sentences appeared to demonstrate how structured sentencing increased the severity of punishment. A comparison of average prison sentence lengths, however, showed that Georgia's sanctions were harsher on many property and drug offenders. The authors suggest that sound criminal justice policy in Georgia should be based on the results of objective research and that more relevant issues should be contemplated by Georgia lawmakers before any system wide changes in sentencing laws are proposed. 8 references, 6 footnotes, and 3 tables