NCJ Number
69684
Date Published
1980
Length
83 pages
Annotation
Sentencing reform activities and sentencing guidelines at State or local jurisdiction levels are summarized in this report, which also includes an overview of sentencing research projects.
Abstract
Under the auspices of the Criminal Courts Technical Assistance Project (CCTAP) the American University has been conducting a survey of each State's sentencing reform and guidelines activities starting in 1978. State planning agencies and/or State court administrative offices were initially contacted by telephone to determine if any such activities were underway. Follow-up calls were made in those States where such activities were in progress. The results of the 1978 survey were published in 1979; the data collected in a similar survey conducted in 1979 are presented in this document, published in May 1980. The ongoing projects in each State are described in detail. In general, this report states that the focus and scope of these projects varies significantly: some merely analyze sentencing practices without any mandate to develop sentencing guidelines, while others are specifically directed at developing guidelines. The methodologies for the projects, the development stage, the procedures employed for data collection, and the type of analysis performed also vary considerably from one State to another. This report also describes a workshop on sentencing guidelines held in connection with the sentencing guidelines and research activity survey. Footnotes, tabular data, and State-by-State summaries, as well as an appendix giving a summary of information on current sentencing projects (including project mandate, research methodology, information on jurisdiction, and project information) are provided.