Established in 1931 as the Institute of Government, the School provides educational, advisory, and research services for state and local governments. To learn a defendant's sentence upon conviction, one must first determine what is known as the defendant's prior record level.Structured Sentencing is the method of sentencing and punishing criminals in North Carolina. North Carolina hearing over alleged racial bias in jury selection could upend death sentences. The primary purposes of sentencing a person convicted of a crime are to impose a punishment commensurate with the injury the offense has caused. Excessive Sentencing Project - North Carolina. Policies and rulings on lengthy imprisonment terms in North Carolina. Criminal Record Search. AOC-CV-100, Civil Forms (CV). Once a person is convicted of a felony, they lose the right to vote in North Carolina until they have completed their sentence.