A Deeper Dive: Assessing Sentencing Reforms in Georgia and Administrative Sanctions in South Carolina

• In Event: Reforming Sentencing and Corrections Policy: The Experience of Justice Reinvestment States

Abstract

In addition to tracking progress in JRI as a whole, Urban conducts deeper-dive assessments examining a subset of policy reforms in a specific state. For both JRI and the field, studying the implementation and outcomes of specific policies adopted in JRI states is crucial to understanding the impact of the initiative, highlighting successes, and encouraging wider adoption of policies that work to reduce correctional control and improve public safety. This paper will summarize findings of assessments of sentencing reforms implemented in Georgia as a result of HB 1176 and the graduated administrative sanctions program implemented in South Carolina as part of SB 1154. In Georgia, Urban analyzed trends in prison and probation commitments, sentence length, and time served following reforms. In South Carolina, we tracked changes in the use of administrative responses to supervision violations, explored public safety implications of supervision reform, and described challenges in reform implementation.

Authors

• Elizabeth Pelletier, Urban Institute

• Ryan King, Urban Institute

• Bryce Peterson, Urban Institute