Victim Injury, Racial and Ethnic Context, and Their Consequences for Incarceration

• In Event: Race, Victims and Sentencing in Context

Abstract

Recently, there has been a growing body of evidence that examines the ways in which victim characteristics influence sentencing outcomes. However, less attention has been given to understanding the role of victim injury in the sentencing process and whether the impact of victim injury is invariant across spatial contexts. This study contributes to the existing literature by exploring the potential relationship between victim injury and sentencing outcomes and whether the effect of victim injury on sentencing outcomes is conditioned by county racial and ethnic composition. Using Florida sentencing guidelines data from 2000 to 2006 and the 2000 U.S. Census, we use multilevel modeling to test several hypotheses. Our results reveal that victim injury has a positive effect on the likelihood of incarceration for Black, White, and Hispanic defendants. Our results also indicate that county racial and ethnic composition significantly moderates the relationship between victim injury and the likelihood for incarceration.

Authors

• Caroline M. Bailey, Florida State University

• Patricia Y. Warren, Florida State University

• Eric A. Stewart, Florida State University

• Jillian Turanovic, Florida State University