NCJ Number
127546
Date Published
1990
Length
326 pages
Annotation
The Florida Gender Bias Study Commission found during its two years of hearings and investigation that discrimination based solely on one's sex is a reality for too many people involved in the legal system.
Abstract
The commission held public hearings and regional meetings around the State of Florida. Regional meetings involved informal discussions primarily with female lawyers and other interested community residents. Surveys were conducted to elicit information from members of the Florida Bar, Florida judges, members of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, and students in Florida law schools. These surveys addressed judicial attitudes and disparate treatment. Supplemental studies examined adult arrest and sentencing patterns, the juvenile justice system, prostitution, and the treatment of male and female court personnel. The commission determined that gender bias prevails in the desolution of marriage, custody, and child support. Women generally commit less serious offenses than males, but are treated more harshly than similarly situated male offenders, particularly in the context of domestic violence, sexual battery, and prostitution. Some girls are treated more harshly than boys at some stages in the juvenile justice system. Women are not proportionately represented in law firm partnerships, judgeships, or tenured faculty positions even though they account for almost 20 percent of the legal profession's membership. Recommendations to eliminate gender bias in the criminal justice system and legal profession are offered. Footnotes