Examining the Cumulative Disadvantage Effect of Immigration Destinations on Case Processing and Outcomes Among Hispanic Defendants

• In Event: Sentencing Outcomes: Cumulative Disadvantage and Punishment

Abstract

This presentation assesses the cumulative ethnic disadvantage in pretrial and sentencing outcomes among Hispanic defendants across counties in the state of Florida that are categorized as traditional, new/emerging, and non-immigrant destinations. The current study uses data from the Understanding Prosecutorial Discretion research project (2017) and U.S. Census data. With an overall sample of 11,704 felony cases, we estimate the interaction between Hispanic and immigration destination types using two-level multilevel logistic and regression models with cases nested within counties. We report the effects of the interaction between Hispanic and immigration destination types across both pretrial (e.g., case dismissal, felony filed, pretrial diversion, and transfer to misdemeanor court) and sentencing outcomes (e.g., prison sentence and sentence length). By examining whether immigration destination types condition the cumulative disadvantage of Hispanic defendants in pretrial and sentencing outcomes, this research has important implications for reform aimed at reducing ethnic disparities in the criminal justice system.

Authors

• Daniela Oramas Mora, Arizona State University

• Ojmarrh Mitchell, Arizona State University

• Anthony Peguero, Arizona State University