CCJ-4614 Lecture Notes - Lecture 17: Public Counsel, Decision Points, Social Evolution
Document Summary
After arrest, there are many decision points in the legal process. Prosecutors, the courtroom work group and plea bargaining. Courtroom work group tries to resolve cases as quickly as possible. Prosecutors don"t proceed w/ a case unless they are confident they will win. Community context of social class and sentencing. Those from poorer areas tend to receive harsher sentence. African-american and latins more likely to be incarcerated. Structural and social makeup of states and local communities. Adult sentencing research on race is inconsistent. Adult female offenders 10-25% less likely to be incarcerated than male offenders. Juvenile fefmale offenders treated harshly for status offenses. Decreases in crime have not always accompanied huge increases in incarceation over the last 2 decades. At the state level, there s a weak/ inconsistent relationship b/w punishment severity and crime rates. Decreases in crime rates do not generally occur after the establishment of harsher penalties.