The Role of Collective Efficacy in Defendants’ Acceptance of Plea Bargaining: A Perspective on Housing Density

• In Event: Posters II

Abstract

The research analyzed the impact of community’s collective efficacy on defendants’ likelihood of accepting plea bargaining in Bexar County, Texas. The study used housing density in the community as a proxy of collective efficacy. Logistic regression models were used to examine the correlation between housing density and the likelihood of
accepting plea deals. Propensity matching analyses were used to draw further casual relationships for certain groups of defendants. The results show that high housing density is significantly associated with high likelihood of accepting plea deals. However, the relationship disappears when respectively controlling for defendants’ demographic
characteristics and their community characteristics. Furthermore, Latino/Hispanic male defendants with misdemeanor charges are more likely to accept plea bargaining if they live in the community with high
housing density, compared to those who live in the community with low housing density. The limitations and future research directions are also discussed.

Author

• Yu Du, University of Pennsylvania