Sentencing Information Systems

• In Event: New Directions in Sentencing Research #2: The Oxford Handbook of Sentencing

Abstract

The move towards structured sentencing in the 1990s was accompanied by the creation of sentencing commissions that took a data-driven approach to monitoring trends and patterns. These data are frequently used in government reports and scientific studies. Within this context, this chapter reviews the current state of sentencing data - how it is accessed and by whom - and explores current gaps in the data that have implications for research and evaluation. The chapter also explores the prevalence, value, and challenges of sentencing commissions and highlights how to improve our criminal justice data infrastructure.

Authors

• Gipsy Escobar, Measures for Justice

• Robert Hutchison, Measures for Justice

• Sema Taheri, Measures for Justice Institute