State Court Sentencing of Convicted Felons, 1996

• NCJ Number: 175708
• Author(s): David J. Levin; Patrick A. Langan Ph.D.; Jodi M. Brown
• Date Published: February 2000
• Length: 62 pages
• Agencies: BJS
• Publication Type: Survey

Annotation

This report presents detailed findings from the 1996 nationally representative sample survey of felons convicted in State courts in 344 counties, with tables on the number of felony offenders in State courts, the sentences they received, demographic characteristics of convicted felons, the number of felons sentenced to probation, the number of felons convicted by trial and guilty plea, and the amount of time required to process felony conviction cases.

Abstract

Presents detailed findings from the 1996 nationally representative sample survey of felons convicted in State courts in 344 counties, with tables on the number of felony offenders in State courts, the sentences they received, demographic characteristics of convicted felons, the number of felons sentenced to probation, the number of felons convicted by trial and guilty plea, and the amount of time required to process felony conviction cases.

• Cases took longer for courts to process in 1996 than in 1988. The average length of time from arrest to sentencing was 219 days in 1996, or 11 days longer than in 1988.
• Persons age 30 or older comprised 40% of persons convicted in 1988 but 50% in 1996. The median age of convicted felons was 27 years in 1988 but 30 years in 1996.
• The proportion of felons sentenced to prison in 1996 (38%) is lower than in any previous year (1988 44%; 1990 46%; 1992 44%; 1994 45%).