Rethinking Parenthood: Does the Nature of Parental Involvement Make a Difference in Sentencing?

• In Event: The Influence of Gender, Race, and Age on Sentencing Disparity

Abstract

Sentencing research consistently reveals the more lenient treatment of women than men, but is mixed with respect to showing more favorable sentencing outcomes for women with dependent children, relative to other comparable defendants. At the same time, other studies indicate that many parents—mothers and fathers alike—were absent from their children’s lives well before any criminal justice system involvement. This raises questions about whether leniency in sentencing is associated with simply being a parent or whether sentencing outcomes are affected by the nature of a defendant’s parental involvement. In an effort to advance prior work, we rely on official and self-report data collected from a representative sample of offenders (N=1,005) sentenced to prison in Arizona in 2010 to examine the effect of parenthood on sentence length. Specifically, we assess whether the extent of parental involvement―defined as living with children, providing daily care and financial support―is associated with shorter sentences, comparing both female and male offenders. In so doing, this study is able to shed light on potential sentencing disparities and social consequences of incarceration. Directions for future research and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Melinda Tasca, Sam Houston State University

• Cassia Spohn, Arizona State University

• Nancy Rodriguez, Arizona State University