By C1 Staff
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — New sentencing guidelines implemented in 2013 are expected to stabilize and slow the growth of Alabama’s prison population, according to officials.
ABC News reports that presumptive sentencing guidelines have prompted a downward shift in sentences and sentence lengths, despite the fact that the prison population is slowly growing.
The guidelines apply to drug and theft cases and use a point system weighing factors including prior criminal history and more to determine the length of a prison sentence.
Bennet Wright, the Director of the Alabama Sentencing Commission, says the guidelines are meant to ensure uniform sentencing practices throughout the state and encourage community supervision programs for nonviolent offenders.