Woods talks sentencing guideline reccomendations

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In addition to money to add 3,000 new prison beds, Governor Sarah Sanders is calling for legislative reforms of the criminal justice systems sentencing guidelines.

Specifically, the reforms would deal with violent offenders and require that people convicted of capital murder, first-degree murder, and rape serve 100 percent of their sentences and those convicted of a list of other crimes like second-degree murder and manslaughter serve t least 85 percent of their sentences.

The changes would not affect those people who are sentenced before the laws become effective.

Appearing on the Oldies 1013 morning show Tuesday, Jefferson County Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., was asked if those sentencing law changes would mitigate efforts to reduce prison overcrowding.

The sentencing guidelines would come close to federal sentencing guidelines which, for example, means a 10-year sentence in federal court would mean close to 10 years being served while a 10-year sentence in state court means a sentence that would require serving about half that before being eligible for parole.