Journal article
From Initial Appearance to Sentencing: Do Female Defendants Experience Disparate Treatment?
Journal of criminal justice, Vol.43(5), pp.406-417
09/01/2015
Web of Science ID: WOS:000364357200006
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Abstract
Purpose: While various perspectives have been offered to explain why females might be treated more leniently by the court system than males, very few studies have investigated sex-based disparities at stages of case processing prior to sentencing. Therefore, we examine outcomes at pretrial release and sentencing and investigate for cumulative disadvantage across the criminal court system.
Methods: A sample of felony cases referred to the Prosecutor's Office of a large northern urban jurisdiction in the United States during calendar year 2009 were analyzed and included violent, property, and drug offenses.
Results: In general, it was found that females were treated more leniently by the court system, although specific groups of female defendants were found to experience cumulative disadvantage across the criminal court system.
Conclusions: While support for the chivalry/paternalism perspective was found, it is suggested that scholars revisit the many perspectives currently put forth to explain sex-based disparities. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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Details
- Title
- From Initial Appearance to Sentencing
- Publication Details
- Journal of criminal justice, Vol.43(5), pp.406-417
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Copyright
- © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Identifiers
- WOS:000364357200006; 99380182041006600
- Academic Unit
- College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities; Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies
- Language
- English