Using data collected from June 1, 1995, to August 30, 1996, the researchers compared the disciplinary conviction rates of North Carolina prison inmates admitted during the study period before the truth-in-sentencing law and inmates admitted during that period under the truth-in-sentencing law. Based on deterrence theory, the researchers hypothesized that pre-truth-in-sentencing inmates, who could lose time off for good behavior and parole as results of a disciplinary conviction, would have higher disciplinary conviction rates than truth-in-sentencing inmates. Truth-in-sentencing inmates, with shorter sentences, could lose neither time off for good behavior nor parole as a result of disciplinary conviction. Cox regression and negative binomial regression procedures using control variables identified in the research literature generally supported the research hypotheses.
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