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Dollar or a Day: Sentencing Misdemeanants in New York State

NCJ Number
148468
Journal
Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 31 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1994) Pages: 183-201
Author(s)
J F Nelson
Date Published
1994
Length
19 pages
Annotation
Using sentencing records for 105,000 misdemeanants convicted in New York State, this study examines possible sentencing disparities for white and minority (black or Hispanic) offenders.
Abstract
The analysis controlled for differences in arrest charges, prior criminal records, conviction charges, and county of processing. White offenders were sentenced more often than minority offenders to pay fines, minorities sentenced for their first conviction received conditional discharges more often than whites, and minorities with prior arrest records were sentenced to jail more often than whites. Minority and white offenders with similar backgrounds and charges received sentences of the same length and minorities usually were fined less money than whites. The discrepancies were explained by the perceived lack of alternative sentencing for punishing poor offenders. The disparity could be reduced by developing alternatives to institutionalization for offenders who lack resources to pay fixed-amount fines. 5 tables, 9 notes, and 21 references

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