N.C. Department of Correction--Correction News--March 1998

What Others Are Saying

Correction Secretary Mack Jarvis and N.C. Sentencing Commission Chairman Tom Ross were guests Jan. 20 on Georgia’s public television program, Georgia Week in Review. The program, The Politics of Punishment, looked at Georgia’s current proposal to put a constitutional amendment abolishing parole to the voters and establish truth-in-sentencing laws. Many candidates for governor and lt. governor expressed their views.

Judge Ross and Secretary Jarvis explained how the new sentencing laws worked in North Carolina with not only true sentences, but provisions for non-violent offenders in day reporting centers. Here are additional remarks from Greensboro Superior Court Judge Tom Ross who headed the North Carolina Sentencing Commission: "From my perspective, the Sentencing Commission was not in a position to understand the full impact of Structured Sentencing on the Department of Correction. Governor Jim Hunt, Franklin Freeman and Mack Jarvis deserve tremendous credit for having put the department in a position to effectively respond to the many significant changes.

"It is a miracle when you think about what has happened since the 1990 prison bond referendum. From that point, prison construction has doubled the capacity in the Division of Prisons. That in and of itself is unbelievable. To build the prisons, train staff, and move the inmates that had to be moved, all within the five years. Then, on top of that, the Division of Adult Probation and Parole had to recruit, hire, train and put more than 500 new officers in the field to manage a more serious population.

"Historically, when we look at state government, I think we will easily be able to say that no other agency has been confronted with the kind of major changes Structured Sentencing has brought and has implemented them in such an effective way. Every employee of the Department of Correction should be really proud of all that has been accomplished." u

NC DOC Correction News- March 1998
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