The defendants were all males over age 21 and were not alcoholic or drug addicts. The sample included 68 Hispanic Americans and 119 white defendants. The research sought to determine the extent to which variations in handling could be accounted for by the ethnic variable, to what extent they could be accounted for by social class, and to what extent by a combination of the two. The analysis controlled for prior criminal record and current criminal charges. Results revealed a relationship between ethnicity and social class at every stage of the trial process. The likelihood of negative differential handling increased when Hispano American ethnicity and lower social class were both present. Findings supported the hypothesis of differential handling as measured by ethnicity and social class; ethnicity was the more significant factor, but lower-class status or prior criminal record increased the likelihood of negative handling. Table, notes, and 10 references