About Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission
The North Carolina Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission was created by the General Assembly in 1990 to make recommendations to the General Assembly for the modification of sentencing laws and policies, and for the addition, deletion, or expansion of sentencing options as necessary to achieve policy goals. Specifically, the Commission was directed to:
- Classify criminal offenses into felony and misdemeanor categories on the basis of their severity;
- Recommend structures for use by a sentencing court in determining the most appropriate sentence to be imposed in a criminal case;
- Develop a correctional population simulation model;
- Recommend a comprehensive community corrections strategy and organizational structure for the State; and,
- Study and make additional policy recommendations.
The Commission has 28 members drawn from all three branches of government; from all areas of the criminal justice system; and from the public. The Commission's prior work led to the passage of the Structured Sentencing Act which became effective in 1994. That law established truth in sentencing and prescribed sentencing options for judges based on the severity of the crime and the prior record of the offender.
Commission Members
Hon. Charlie Brown, Chairman | Chief District Court Judge |
Frances Battle | Victim Assistance Network |
Arthur Beeler, Jr. | Lieutenant Governor's Appointee |
Sheriff James Clemmons, Jr. | Sheriffs' Association |
Hon. Warren Daniel | State Senator |
Louise Davis | Community Sentencing Association |
Danielle Marquis Elder | Attorney General's Office |
Hon. Sherri Elliott | District Court Judges’ Association |
Hon. John Faircloth | State Representative |
Hon. Milton “Toby” Fitch, Jr. | State Senator |
Willis Fowler | Post-Release Supervision & Parole Commission |
Lindsey Granados | Advocates for Justice |
Hon. R. Greg Horne | Conference of Superior Court Judges |
Susan Katzenelson | Private Citizen, Governor's Appointee |
Chief Henry King, Jr. | Association of Chiefs of Police |
Hon. Maureen Krueger | Conference of District Attorneys |
Hon. Tammy Lee | Association of County Commissioners |
Dr. Harvey McMurray | Academic Member |
Hon. Allen McNeill | State Representative |
Hon. James Mixson, III | Association of Clerks of Superior Court |
Luther Moore | Retail Merchants' Association |
Timothy Moose | Department of Public Safety |
Hon. Fred Morrison, Jr. | Justice Fellowship |
Hon. William Richardson | State Representative |
Hon. Bob Steinburg, Sr. | State Senator |
Calvin Suber | Commission Chairman's Appointee |
Patrick Weede | Bar Association |
Hon. Valerie Zachary | Court of Appeals |
Commission Staff
N.C. Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission
PO Box 2448
Raleigh, NC 27602-2448
Phone: (919) 890-1470
Fax: (919) 890-1933
Michelle Hall | Executive Director |
John Madler | Associate Director for Policy, Staff Attorney |
Ginny Hevener | Associate Director for Research |
Meghan Boyd Ward | Research & Policy Associate |
Tamara Flinchum | Senior Research & Policy Associate |
John W. King | Senior Research & Policy Associate |
Shelley Kirk | Administrative Secretary |
Jennifer Lutz | Research & Policy Associate |
Rebecca Whitaker | Research & Policy Associate |
Commission Meetings - Agendas and Minutes
2021 SPAC Commission Meetings
2021 Meeting Schedule: March 5, 2021 June 4, 2021 September 10, 2021 December 3, 2021
2020 SPAC Commission Meetings
2020 Meeting Schedule: March 6, 2020 June 5, 2020 September 11, 2020 December 4, 2020
2019 SPAC Commission Meetings
2019 Meeting Schedule: March 1, 2019 June 7, 2019 September 27, 2019 December 6, 2019
2018 SPAC Commission Meetings
2017 SPAC Commission Meetings