N.C. Department of Correction--Correction News--December 1997

STRUCTURED SENTENCING PROGRAM WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Washington D.C. - U.S. News and World Report Editor David Gergen presented a $100,000 Innovation in American Government award to North Carolina for its Structured Sentencing program.

The award was accepted, following a reception and dinner at the State Department Nov. 19, by former Correction Secretary Franklin Freeman who is now Governor Jim Hunt's chief of staff, former Executive Director of the Sentencing Commission Rob Lubitz, Superior Court Judge Tom Ross who was chairman of the N.C. Sentencing Commission, and Institute of Government professor Jim Drennan.

"These four people have worked diligently to strengthen and administer the state's sentencing law," Gov. Hunt said. "As a result, violent criminals are serving longer sentences without parole and non-violent criminals are being sent to a range of community punishment programs where they work to pay restitution to their victims while getting needed help. North Carolinians can be grateful for the solid thinking and hard work of these four men, those who served on the Sentencing Commission and the General Assembly who passed the law and made this award possible."

The Awards for Innovations in American Government is funded by the Ford Foundation and administered by the Kennedy School at Harvard. North Carolina is one of 10 award winners. The funds will be used to promote public education about the law and its program, and continue the necessary and important training for officials in the justice system.

An aggressive prison construction program, coupled with the new Structured Sentencing Law laid the groundwork for solid, community punishment programs. A sophisticated computer program, at the heart of the innovation, analyzes the impact new laws may have on the need for additional prison construction.

NC DOC Correction News- December 1997
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