Racial Threat, Guilty Pleas, and Punishment Severity: An Examination Across Diverse Communities

• In Event: Race, Sentencing & Punishment

Abstract

Prior research has consistently demonstrated that extralegal factors, such as race and ethnicity influence punishment severity. However, few studies have explored how these demographic characteristics, as well as the racial and ethnic composition of an area influence punishment outcomes following a plea agreement. Plea agreements are important because defendants are typically under the impression that this decision is less risky than going to trial. Going to trial has been shown to significantly increase punitive sanctions. Using Florida Sentencing Guideline data from 2000-2006, the purpose of this study is to expand the sentencing literature by examining racial and ethnic differences and the impact of community context on punishment severity for individuals who choose to plead guilty rather than go to trial in the state of Florida.

Authors

• Porche' A. Whitby, Florida State University

• Patricia Y. Warren, Florida State University

• Eric A. Stewart, Florida State University