Advances in Rural Criminology: Courts and Corrections in Rural Communities

Session Submission Type: Complete Thematic Panel

Abstract/Description

Rural communities face unique challenges related to access to justice and legal services. This panel includes recent research on pre-trial procedures, courts, and corrections in various rural American communities. Specifically, presenters will discuss 1) courtroom observations in a rural Southern community; 2) research on the impact of cash bail abolition in rural and urban communities; 3) changes in sentencing disparities in rural Pennsylvania courts; and 4) preliminary findings from the development of a comprehensive database of rural American jails. Each presenter will discuss data, methods, results, and the practical and theoretical implications of their research.

Sub Unit

• Area VI. The Criminal Justice System / 44. Courts & Sentencing

Individual Presentations

• Exploring Inhabited Institutions: Rural Courts, Case Processing, and the Courtroom Workgroup - Kristina Thompson, Georgia Southern University; Stacie St. Louis, American University

• The Abolition of Cash Bail in Illinois: How a Statewide Reform Differentially Impacts Rural and Urban Communities - David E. Olson, Loyola University Chicago; Don Stemen, Loyola University Chicago; Patrick Griffin, Loyola University Chicago

• Changes in Sentencing Disparities in Rural Courts: Pennsylvania in a Context of Rural Demographic Change - Jeffery T. Ulmer, Penn State University

• Preliminary Insights into Rural Incarceration: Building a Comprehensive Database of Rural Jails in America - Brian Iannacchione, University of Northern Colorado; Kyle C. Ward, University of Northern Colorado; Emma Baker, University of Northern Colorado

Organized by a Division or external group?

Division of Rural Criminology