The Effect of Contextual Factors on Capital Sentencing Outcomes

• In Event: Considering Context in Capital Punishment

Abstract

The current study employs hierarchical linear modeling to examine the effect of contextual factors on capital sentencing outcomes. Capital sentencing data is drawn from the North Carolina Sentencing Project, which includes the population of capital murder trials in North Carolina (1977-2009). County level contextual data is drawn from the North Carolina County Characteristics Project, an original data source. The study examines if, and to what extent, extra-legal factors influence capital sentencing decisions above and beyond legally relevant factors.

Authors

• Christian Jordan Howell, University of South Florida

• John Cochran, University of South Florida

• Caitlyn Meade, University of South Florida

• Janine Kremling, California State University at San Bernardino

• M. Dwayne Smith, University of South Florida

• Beth Bjerregaard, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

• Sondra Fogel, University of South Florida