EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL RESOURCES IN JUDICIAL SENTENCING

• NCJ Number: 42841
• Journal: PUBLIC DATA USE Volume: 5 Issue: 1 Dated: (JANUARY 1977) Pages: 30-51
• Author(s): J D HEWITT
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 22 pages
• Corporate Author: Clearinghouse and Laboratory for Census Data
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

THIS PAPER TESTS AN INTERACTIONIST PERSPECTIVE ON JUDICIAL SENTENCING BY EXAMINING THE NATURE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS INDIVIDUAL RESOURCE VARIABLES ON THE JUDICIAL SENTENCING PROCESS.

Abstract

IN THIS STUDY, THE CONCEPT OF INDIVIDUAL RESOURCES IS BORROWED FROM RUSHING AND EIGHT RESOURCE VARIABLES ARE SPECIFIED. THROUGH THE USE OF CAUSAL MODELING AND PATH INDIVIDUAL RESOURCE VARIABLES ARE DECOMPOSED INTO THEIR RESPECTIVE DIRECT AND INDIRECT EFFECTS ON SENTENCING. DATA FOR THIS ANALYSIS WERE OBTAINED ON 504 CONVICTED ADULT FELONS SELECTED FROM COURT RECORDS IN THE KING COUNTY PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE, SEATTLE, WASHINGTON FOR THE YEAR 1973. ANALYSIS INDICATED THAT WHILE FIVE OF THE EIGHT INDIVIDUAL RESOURCE VARIABLES HAD STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT TOTAL EFFECTS, ONLY THE SEX OF THE DEFENDANT HAD SIGNIFICANT DIRECT EFFECTS ON ANY OF THE SENTENCE VARIABLES. THE REMAINING INDIVIDUAL RESOURCE VARIABLES HAD THEIR TOTAL EFFECTS LARGELY MEDIATED BY THE VARIOUS INTERVENING VARIABLES IN THE MODEL (MOST IMPORTANTLY: OFFENSE, PRIOR RECORD, WEAPON OR VIOLENCE, BAIL, AND THE PROSECUTION AND PROBATION PRE-SENTENCE RECOMMENDATIONS). (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)...DMC PRE-SINTINCE RECOMMENDATIONS).