Despite overwhelming public perceptions of racial bias, no consistent pattern is demonstrated from research on sentencing practices in State and Federal courts. The one exception remains in the area of capital sentencing. Studies show conclusively that blacks are more likely to receive a death sentencing than whites, especially in cases involving white victims. Further research is recommended to analyze the social problem of disproportionate minority involvement in crime, racial disparities in capital sentencing, and the influence of race on stages of the criminal justice process that occur before a defendant is brought before a judge or a jury for sentencing. 38 references