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Race, Ethnicity, and Determinate Sentencing - A New Dimension to an Old Controversy

NCJ Number
94292
Journal
Criminology Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1984) Pages: 147-171
Author(s)
M S Zatz
Date Published
1984
Length
25 pages
Annotation
A study of 4729 sentences handed out during the first year of determinate sentencing in California shows subtle differences in the sentencing of Whites, Blacks, and Chicanos.
Abstract
As expected, main effects of race/ethnicity are not found. However, the type of offense, mode of disposition, and the defendant's prior record do affect sentencing differently, even with determinate sentencing, depending on the defendant's race/ethnicity. The detrimental effect of a prior record for Chicanos is especially interesting as it can be invoked legally as a sentence enhancement. The findings reported here demonstrate that Chicanos constitute a separate group, distinct from both Blacks and Whites, and must be treated accordingly in criminological research. So doing clarifies many of the inconsistencies in prior sentencing research. (Publisher abstract)

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