An Overlay of the North Carolina Structured Sentencing Guidelines on the 1996 Georgia Felony Offender Population

Abstract

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. 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, and that over 2,200 offenders who were admitted into Georgia's prison system as a result of a felony conviction would have received probated sentences under the North Carolina guidelines. This “net” increase in prison sentences appears to demonstrate how structured sentencing can increase the severity of punishment. A comparison of average prison sentence lengths shows, however, that Georgia's sanctions are harsher on many property and drug crime offenders. The article suggests that sound criminal justice public 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 systemwide changes in sentencing laws are proposed.