NCJ Number
236704
Journal
Criminal Justice Studies Volume: 24 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2011 Pages: 291-306
Date Published
September 2011
Length
16 pages
Annotation
This article examines drug sentencing in Michigan.
Abstract
Previous research has identified several prominent legal and extralegal variables and their effect on sentencing outcomes. However, only a few States have been subjected to critical or scholarly analysis. With the focal concerns perspective in mind, the current study examines 399 male defendants convicted on Federal drug trafficking charges in the State of Michigan during 2006. Findings reveal that legally relevant factors are the strongest predictor of sentence length, offenders who are detained prior to trial face disparate sentences, and district in which the defendant was adjudicated significantly impacts sentence outcome. These results confirm that case processing strategies are an important source of sentencing disparities. (Published Abstract)