The Center for Community Transitions

In 2006, The Center for Community Transitions merged with Mecklenburg Sentencing Services. Since that time, we have been providing the judicial system with pre-court assessments of individual cases and recommendations to assist in imposing sentences that make the most effective use of available resources and provide the intended results of no further criminal involvement.

The purpose of the North Carolina Sentencing Services Program is to "provide the judicial system with information that will assist that system in imposing sentences that make the most effective use of available resources". N.C. GS7A-770 (1999)-effective January 1, 2000.

Pursuant to that purpose, the goal of this program is to reduce criminal activity by matching defendants with the appropriate sentences: active jail or prison sentences, or alternatives to incarceration through community programs for correction. Reentry begins with sentencing. Studies show that offenders with properly imposed sentencing plans are less likely to be arrested or convicted on new offenses and less likely to fail on community supervision.

Mecklenburg Sentencing Services is responsible for identifying offenders who: (1) Are charged with or have been offered a plea by the State for a felony offense for which the class of offense and prior record level authorize the court to impose an intermediate or active punishment; (2) Have a high risk of committing future crimes without appropriate sanctions and interventions; and (3) Would benefit from an intensive and comprehensive sentencing plan.