Bill Rankin of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution has this story on a bill to make changes in Georgia sentencing law. He describes the changes as "sweeping," but in comparison to California's disastrous "realignment" program they seem rather modest.
The bill would adjust some dollar thresholds for felony theft upwards. Inflation tends to make formerly petty thefts grand if the thresholds aren't adjusted periodically, and this is a very old problem. See William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, vol. 4, pp. 238-239 (1st ed. 1769).
Several offenses are to be graduated more finely into degrees, including drug offenses by weight of the drug, different types of burglaries, and even different types of forgeries. The drug-weight changes will be phased in so as not to overload the crime lab.
The bill would adjust some dollar thresholds for felony theft upwards. Inflation tends to make formerly petty thefts grand if the thresholds aren't adjusted periodically, and this is a very old problem. See William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England, vol. 4, pp. 238-239 (1st ed. 1769).
Several offenses are to be graduated more finely into degrees, including drug offenses by weight of the drug, different types of burglaries, and even different types of forgeries. The drug-weight changes will be phased in so as not to overload the crime lab.
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