|
|
| N.C. Lawmakers Rethink Tough Sentencing Laws |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 04/22/2003 |
|
North Carolina's ever-rising prison population has state lawmakers looking at a number of proposals designed to slow the trend, among them changes to a law that is notorious on the street. For a four-time felon, the state's habitual felon law can mean the difference between a prison stay of a few months or many years. Prosecutors say the law is a savior, and it helps deter crime. In association with the state's Structured Sentencing Act adopted in 1994, the habitual felon law has resulted in much longer prison stays for many of the inmates in North Carolina's prison system. There are now more than 3,000 inmates sentenced as habitual felons in the state's prisons, or almost 10 percent of the total population. They are part of a prison population rising by roughly 5 percent a year. Last week, the total number of inmates stood at 33,913. Critics of the habitual felon law say the increases could end in the same kind of prison overcrowding that once led to lawsuits and federal court injunctions during the 1980s. A series of bills has been introduced that would trim three to six months off many of the prison sentences under the Structured Sentencing program. |
advertise
|
privacy policy
|
add URL
|
about us
|
terms/disclaimer
|
contact us
|
join our team
|
help
Comments:
No comments have been posted for this article.
Login to let us know what you think