Shifting Landscapes: Deciphering the Patterns of Sentencing Outcomes and Criminal Legal Reform in the US

• In Event: Courts, Punishment, and Mass Incarceration

Abstract

Previous research has highlighted the multifaceted nature of criminal justice reform, noting that reform efforts are influenced by a broad spectrum of factors, including but not limited to political dynamics, fiscal constraints, and bifurcation logic. Building off these studies, the current project analyzes the evolution of state punishment policies and sentencing outcomes for felony-level offenses in the United States between 2010 and 2018. Utilizing data from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR), alongside comprehensive state-level legislation data, we identify trends and shifts in sentencing practices for felony convictions. All states across the U.S. saw significant decreases in felony crime arrests from 2010 through 2018. Yet, there were significant state-by-state variations in punishment practices. Only six states, including Arizona, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin, decreased in imprisonment and probation because of a felony conviction during this time. Additionally, these states passed very different legislation, underscoring the complexity of criminal justice policies across the U.S. and the divergent approaches states have taken in responding to crime and falling crime rates.

Authors

• Brittany Martin, University of Rhode Island

• Timothy Edgemon, University of Birmingham