Effects of Prior Record in Sentencing Research in a Large Northeastern City, 1968-79

• NCJ Number: 115299
• Author(s): S Welch; C Spohn
• Date Published: 1988
• Length: 8 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/; Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This codebook explains the variables, coding system, and research methodology used to gather a set of data focusing on the impact of defendants' prior criminal records on the sentencing of male and female defendants who committed violent and nonviolent crimes.

Abstract

The research also focused on the types of prior records that most influenced the sentencing judges. The data came from a random sample from all defendants in felony cases heard between 1968 and 1979 in a large northeastern city of the United States. The variables in the data set specifically deal with the defendant, the judge, and the characteristics of the current case. The cases in the data set all fall into one of 14 categories of common offenses: murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, assault, minor assault, burglary, automobile theft, embezzlement, receiving stolen property, forgery, sex offenses other than rape, drug possession, and driving while intoxicated. (Author abstract modified)