NCJ Number
185245
Journal
Criminal Justice Policy Review Volume: 10 Issue: 4 Dated: 1999 Pages: 491-502
Date Published
1999
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This study examines disparities in pretrial release decisions based on race or gender, using a large dataset that represents 75 of the largest counties in the United States.
Abstract
The study used the Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Pretrial Reporting Program database for 1992. Multiple jurisdictions report individual-level information to Bureau of Justice Statistics' National Pretrial Reporting Program on processes related to arrests, adjudication, and sentencing. Specifically, the study examined regional racial and gender differences on pretrial decisions to release defendants on their own recognizance or set bail. The 13,206 felony cases that were sampled were weighted to represent over 55,000 cases filed during May 1992. The analysis reinforced some patterns already shown in other studies, i.e., that there are disparities in court decisions by gender and by ethnicity, and that this effect remains even when relevant crime characteristics are controlled. Women were more likely to be given pretrial release, and white and Hispanic offenders were more likely to be given pretrial release compared to black offenders; however, the results also show that disparities should be closely examined by region, by State, or by characteristics of geographical areas, as these disparities vary by geographical areas. 3 tables and 14 references