U.S. flag
      An official website of the United States government, Department of Justice.
        Here's how you know
      Here's how you know**Official websites use .gov**
            
            A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
      **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
            
            A **lock** (
            A locked padlock
            ) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Menu

      
        close

            
            
                                              About NIJ
        
                    
  
          About NIJ
      
    
          The NIJ Director
          How NIJ Is Organized
          Mission and Guiding Principles
          Research and Development Process
          Strategic Framework
          Assessments of NIJ
          Annual Reports & Reports to Congress
          Staff Directory
          Funding & Awards
        
                    
  
          Funding & Awards
      
    
          Current Funding
          Forthcoming Funding
          Expired Funding
          Awards: Listing of Funded Projects
          Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
          Fellowship & Student Programs
          Travel Scholarships
          NIJ Challenge Program
          Library & Multimedia
        
                    
  
          Library & Multimedia
      
    
          NIJ Journal
          Podcasts
          Publications Listing
          Multimedia Listing
          Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
          Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
          Software & Databases
          Datasets
          Patents
          Topics
        
                    
  
          Topics
      
    
          Article Listing
          Corrections
          Courts
          Crime Prevention
          Crimes
          Drugs and Crime
          Equipment and Technology
          Forensic Sciences
          Youth Justice
          Justice System Reform
          Law Enforcement
          Tribal Crime and Justice
          Victims of Crime
          Events
        
                    
  
          Events
      
    
          NIJ 2024 Research Conference
          Scheduled Events
          On-Demand Events
          Research Meetings & Workshops
          NIJ-Hosted Online Training

                            
                                About
          Contact Us
          Subscribe
          Topics A-Z
                  Share
FacebookXLinkedInRedditPinterestEmail Home
                            Library & Multimedia
 Offender Race and Case Outcomes: Do Crime Seriousness and Strength of Evidence Matter? Final Activities Report
NCJ Number
              184774

Author(s)
          Cassia Spohn
Date Published

2000
Length
              46 pages
Annotation
              The primary objective of this study was to provide a more comprehensive test of the liberation hypothesis by examining the effect of race on a series of case processing decisions and by comparing case outcomes for black and white offenders charged with a variety of felonies.
Abstract
              Building on the liberation hypothesis, the study predicted that, in more serious cases, the appropriate sentence would be strongly determined by crime seriousness and the defendant's prior criminal record. The data file used in the study included information on charging, convicting, and sentencing decisions in North Carolina for 1,378 defendants charged with felonies in 1978 and 1,280 defendants charged with felonies in 1981. The effect of race on eight different case outcomes was explored--three pretrial decisions, two convicting outcomes, and three sentencing decisions. Data were analyzed using both ordinary least squares regression and logistic regression. The analysis did not uncover any evidence of systematic racial discrimination in North Carolina. Race directly affected only one of the eight case outcomes. Although black defendants were more likely than white defendants to be convicted of a felony rather than a misdemeanor, they did not face significantly higher or lower odds of pretrial detention, conviction on any charge, incarceration, or imprisonment. The sentences imposed on blacks and whites who were incarcerated were also similar. On the other hand, the study found evidence of contextual discrimination. Race effects, when they did surface, tended to be confined to cases in the middle category of the offense seriousness scale. Findings provide support for the liberation hypothesis and for the contention that conflict theory does not necessarily predict blacks will be treated more harshly than whites. 40 references, 3 notes, and 7 tables
      
  
          Additional Details
Grant Number(s)
        96-IJ-CX-0036


  
  
        
  Agencies
        NIJ-Sponsored


  
  
        
  Publication Type
        Research (Applied/Empirical)
    
  
  
Date Published: January 1, 2000
    
          Downloads
        
                      PDF

Side navigation
  

        

  
  
              NIJ Journal
    
      
            
            
            
      Podcasts
    
      
            
            
            
      Publications Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Multimedia Listing
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Practices on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Rated Programs on CrimeSolutions
    
      
            
            
            
      Software & Databases
    
      
            
            
            
      Datasets
    
      
            
            
            
      PatentsRelated Topics
        
                Court research
        Criminal justice research
        Defendants
        Evaluation
        Evidence



  
Similar Publications
        
                      Spectroscopic Differentiation and Chromatographic Separation of Regioisomeric Indole Aldehydes: Synthetic Cannabinoids Precursors
                  GC-IRD Methods for the Identification of Some Tertiary Amine related to MDMA
                  A Comparison of the Effects of PCR Inhibition in Quantitative PCR and Forensic STR Analysis
 Top

      National Institute of Justice

        
        
                        About NIJ
                    About NIJ
      
    
                  How NIJ Is Organized
      
    
                  NIJ Director
      
    
                  Research Disclaimer
      
    
                  Funding & Awards
                    Funding & Awards Home
      
    
                  Awards Listing
      
    
                  Current Funding
      
    
                  Guidance for Applicants and Awardees
      
    
                  Resources
                    Events
      
    
                  Podcasts
      
    
                  Publications
      
    
                  Topics
      
    
                  Multimedia
      
    
                  Reuse Policy
      
    
                  Contacts
                    Contact NIJ
      
    
                  Staff Directory
      
    
                  Submit a FOIA Request
      
    
                  File a Civil Rights ComplaintFacebook
          
                      X
          
                      YouTube
  

      810 7th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20531
      
              Secondary Footer link menu
            Accessibility
              Plain Language
              Privacy Policy
              Legal Policies and Disclaimer
              No FEAR Act
              Freedom of Information Act
              USA.gov
              Justice.gov