NCJ Number
106161
Journal
Social Science Research Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1985) Pages: 169-183
Date Published
1985
Length
15 pages
Annotation
Approximately 450,000 felony arrests in California during 1977, 1978, and 1979 formed the basis of an analysis of the final case disposition and sentencing decisions for whites, blacks, and Hispanics.
Abstract
The three dispositions considered were acquittal and dismissal, a nonincarcerative sentence, and a sentence to prison or jail. The three-way interaction of pleading guilty, racial or ethnic group membership, and the extent of prior court experience and this interaction's effects on rates of moving through the legal system were assessed. Pleading guilty increased the speed of processing through the system most when the defendant's sentence did not involve incarceration. However, this effect did not occur for second or later arrests of Hispanics. Findings provided greater support for theories of resource mobilization by defendants than for theories of cultural stereotyping. Data tables, footnotes, and 69 references. (Author abstract modified)