HB 444

Abstract

This Act, known as the James Johnson Sentencing Accountability Act, named for Representative JJ Johnson, makes significant changes to sentencing accountability in Delaware. Section 1. This section repeals the provisions of Title 11 that created the Sentencing Accountability Commission. Section 2. This section establishes the Delaware Sentencing Accounting and Guidelines Commission. This Act places the Commission within the Criminal Justice Council to give the Commission the staff and support it needs to effect its purpose. The Commission has 11 voting members, many of whom are already represented on the current sentencing commission. There are also 6 non-voting ex-officio members which include all entities in the criminal justice system. The Commission must meet at least 6 times a year and 6 members constitute a quorum. The Commission shall hire an executive director and additional personnel that are necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of the Commission. During the first 2 years, the Commission must review the existing sentencing guidelines and statutory penalties for each criminal offense and promulgate new sentencing guidelines. The sentencing guidelines shall be the presumption in the sentencing of offenders. The guidelines will provide for a range of incarceration terms that are sufficiently narrow and proportionate to the crime. The guidelines shall also set forth a nonexclusive list of aggravating and mitigating factors. The guidelines will also provide bases for a departure from the presumptive sentence. The goal of the guidelines is to encourage judges to individualize sentencing decisions. By December 1, 2024, the Commission must submit to the General Assembly, the Governor, and the Chief Justice a report of its activities for the first 2 years. This report shall include sentencing guidelines which must first be submitted to the Chief Justice, and then to the General Assembly for final approval by joint resolution. Thereafter, beginning on January 1, 2026, and every 2 years thereafter, the Commission shall submit a biannual report including any revisions to the sentencing guidelines to the Governor, the Chief Justice, the Speaker of the House and President Pro Tempore. The revisions will take effect and have the force and effect of law as of July 1 following submission, unless the General Assembly shall by joint resolution reject the report in its entirety within 30 days following the commencement of its session. The Commission will also develop, in conjunction with the Department of Correction, a community corrections strategy which will consider the existing community corrections programs within the State, the number of offenders, the level or resources, and the effectiveness of community corrections. The Commission will also work with the Department of Correction to develop a correctional-population model to project the future impact on the criminal justice system including the courts and Department of Correction. The Commission’s continuing responsibilities include revising the sentencing guidelines as needed, preparing a yearly correctional-population projection, data collection that tracks criminal cases through the court system and, investigating the existence of possible inequities and the corrections systems across population groups, such as groups defined by race, gender ethnicity and geographic location. Every 5 years, the Commission shall perform an omnibus review of the sentencing system. Section 3. This section provides that until sentencing guidelines are in effect under this Act, the current sentencing guidelines will remain in effect. Section 4. This Act is known as the “James Johnson Sentencing Accountability Act”.