TRUTH IN SENTENCING EXAMINED

OKLAHOMA CITY -- A joint legislative committee is examining whether the
truth-in-sentencing law really would give the ``bad guys more time'' in
prison.

The committee has been meeting twice a week to examine revisions to the
truth-in-sentencing law, which was passed last year.

The Thursday meetings have been open to the public, but the Tuesday
meetings have been closed at least twice to reporters in past weeks.
Tuesday was the first time the Tuesday meeting was opened to reporters.

The truth-in-sentencing law was aimed at making violent and habitual
offenders serve 75 percent to 85 percent of their sentences under a brand
new sentencing guideline system. Less serious offenders would be placed in
local community sentencing programs that could range from incarceration to
drug and alcohol treatment to education.

Prosecutors, sheriffs and some crime victim groups have roundly criticized
the law, saying they believe many offenders would actually do less time
than what the old sentencing system allowed. Proponents of the law disagree.

The House of Representatives passed a bill last week that would greatly
increase many sentences and move back the implementation date of the new
law from July 1 to Jan. 1.

House Bill 2927, authored by House Speaker Loyd Benson, D-Frederick, and
Senate President Pro Tem Stratton Taylor, D-Claremore, would still require
violent offenders to serve 85 percent of their sentences, but it gives
judges and prosecutors more leeway in the length of sentences that can be
sought. The bill also would lengthen the potential sentences of many
offenses but would still do away with jury sentencing in all but
first-degree murder cases. Judges could impose longer sentences for
criminals who had been incarcerated by the Department of Corrections twice
before.

On Tuesday, Sen. Cal Hobson, D-Lexington, the Senate chairman of the joint
committee, said, ``We've got to settle the question: Did we or did we not
give the bad guys more time (with the law passed last year)?''

Bill Chown, an official with the Department of Corrections, gave the
committee several statistics. Chown examined the actual time served by 66
Department of Corrections inmates who were convicted of rape and released
from prison over an 18-month period ending Dec. 31. He then examined what
they probably would have served if they had been convicted under the
truth-in-sentencing law.

He found that the average time served in the Department of Corrections was
nearly 47 months under the old law.

He said those inmates probably would have served an average of 134 months
under truth in sentencing. He said 56 of the 66 inmates probably would have
served longer terms under truth in sentencing.

Chown compared inmates convicted of other serious and violent crimes and
had the same results -- most would have served more time in prison under
truth in sentencing.

The committee plans to examine the cost next week of the House
truth-in-sentencing revision bill.