Case Processing and Decision Points in the Federal System

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract

This panel was organized through the Federal Justice Research Network (FJRN). It consists of four papers that examine different decision points in federal criminal case processing. Together, federal decision-making across the pretrial and charging stages through sentencing, imprisonment and post-conviction supervision are explored. This includes an evaluation of federal Support Courts targeted towards drug-involved individuals in pretrial and post-conviction proceedings, an assessment of prosecutorial decisions to decline or alter federal charges, an examination of the effects of national origin of non-U.S. citizens on punishment outcomes, and a report on the characteristics and sentencing of individuals incarcerated in federal prison for drug offenses.

Sub Unit

• Area VII. The Criminal Justice System / 39. Prosecution, Courts & Sentencing

Individual Presentations

• Examining Prosecutorial Discretion in Federal Criminal Cases - Richard Hartley, University of Texas San Antonio; Rob Tillyer, University of Texas San Antonio

• An Evaluation of Federal Specialty Courts in Connecticut - David Myers, University of New Haven; Joseph Dule, University of New Haven; Kevin Earl, University of New Haven; Mengbei Wang, University of New Haven; Timothy Daty, University of New Haven

• Citizenship and Sentencing: Assessing the Effects of Citizenship by National Origin on Federal Sentencing Outcomes - Doyun Koo, University of Cincinnati; Ben Feldmeyer, University of Cincinnati

• People in Federal Prison for Drug Offenses: Analyzing Sentencing Decisions through Linked Data - Julie Samuels, The Urban Institute; William Adams, Urban Institute

Chair

• KiDeuk Kim, Urban Institute

Discussant

• Mark Motivans, Bureau of Justice Statistics