Federal Sentencing of Hispanics in "Traditional," "New," and Changing Immigrant Destinations

• In Event: New Directions in Research on Sentencing in US Courts

Abstract

With the continuing growth of the U.S. Hispanic population, Hispanic federal sentencing disparity remains an important topic of empirical research and a concern for sentencing policy. Recent research has demonstrated that Hispanic sentencing disparity in the federal courts is mostly specific to non-U.S. citizens, and that Hispanics are sentenced more leniently in districts where Hispanic populations are more sizeable. These findings align with sociological research that has shown that Hispanics have more favorable experiences in traditional Hispanic immigrant destinations than in newer destinations. In the former, Hispanics are said to encounter and live in relatively established Hispanic communities with substantial social capital and community standing that is not as prominent in newer destinations, thus fostering less welcoming social environments for Hispanic immigrants. Relying on multilevel modeling with federal sentencing (2010-2012) data merged with 2000 Census, American Community Survey (2008-2012), and Uniform Crime Report (2008-2012) data, our research compares federal sentencing outcomes of Hispanic defendants, particularly non-U.S. citizens and males, relative to other groups across federal district courts in “traditional,” “new,” and changing destinations, focusing on courts in “old-new” destinations (districts classified as new destinations in 2000) and “new-new” destinations (districts classified as new destinations in 2010 but not in 2000).

Authors

• Brandy R. Parker, Pennsylvania State University

• Jeffery T. Ulmer, Pennsylvania State University