Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Pre-Trial Outcomes: Evidence From Mid-Sized Jurisdictions

• In Event: Sources of Sentencing Disparities in Various Court Settings and Case Types

Abstract

Prosecution, like the criminal legal system at large, is highly localized. Yet, much of the available research on prosecution comes from large urban jurisdictions and examines only a single case processing decision. In the current study, we partner with four geographically diverse mid-sized prosecutors’ offices to examine racial and ethnic disparities in charging, plea-bargaining, and sentencing outcomes. Using case processing records from each office, we conduct a series of regression analyses to examine whether case acceptance, plea discounts, felony downgrades, sentence type (probation, jail, prison), and prison sentence lengths systematically differ by defendant race and ethnicity. This research speaks to the localized nature of punishment and the degree to which prosecutors may perpetuate or alleviate racial disparities.

Authors

• Rachel Bowman, Arizona State University

• Belén Lowrey-Kinberg, University of California, Irvine

• Jon Gould, University of California, Irvine