Annotated Bibliography: Racial Disparities in Federal Sentencing (Essay Sample)

Annotated Bibliography: Racial Disparities in Federal Sentencing
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Annotated Bibliography: Racial Disparities in Federal Sentencing
Albonetti, C. A. (2017). Theoretical perspectives and empirical assessments of race/ethnicity
disparities in federal sentencing. In Race, Ethnicity and Law (pp. 95-114). Emerald Publishing
Limited.
The research question in this article was this: Are non white prisoners given short sentences when compared to members from other races? Some of the sources that the authors used to obtain data include court records and interviews. Researcher Albonetti, interrogated ex-convicts from different races including whites and blacks to determine the duration that they served in prison for the same criminal activity that they were found to be guilty of. This researcher also reviewed recorded court cases to determine the duration for which members of different races were sentenced.
The hypothesis of the study was that Minority prisoners get longer sentences than white prisoners. The conducted researches found out that whites in many court cases were given shorter federal sentences. The impact of the research is that it helped highlight the existing disparity in federal sentencing. The research concluded that racial disparities in federal sentencing contribute to unfairness in the administration of justice. The researcher concluded that the existing unfairness in the judiciary was a great barrier to the implementation of the rule of law.
Franklin, T. W., & Henry, T. K. S. (2019). Racial Disparities in Federal Sentencing Outcomes: Clarifying the Role of Criminal History. Crime & Delinquency, 0011128719828353.
This article’s research question was this: Who between minority groups and white criminals are given shorter sentences? A few of the sources that the authors used to obtain data include surveys and government records. The hypothesis of the study was that white criminals are given shorter federal sentences. The study found out that many whites were given shorter federal sentences when compared to minority groups. The authors identified racism as the main reason behind the disparity in the federal sentencing.
One of the effects of the conducted research is that it helped raise the stereotypes that most judges have that influence them to give white criminals lighter sentences. The research concluded that equality in the administration of justice can only be attained through eliminating the existing racial disparities in the court system. The best way to attain equality as per the research was to give all criminals the same sentencing. The authors viewed that eliminating the existing inequality will prevent negative attitudes between the affected races. Furthermore, the article points out that elimination of the existing disparity requires the participation of all.
Nowacki, J. S. (2017). An intersectional approach to race/ethnicity, sex, and age disparity in
federal sentencing outcomes: An examination of policy across time periods. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 17(1), 97-116.
The main question in this article was this: Do white criminals receive shorter federal sentences? Information sources that the authors used to obtain data include case studies and surveys. The hypothesis of the study was that white criminals receive shorter federal sentences when compared to the minority groups. In the many case studies that the Author examined, there appeared to be an inclination of the judges towards giving whites shorter sentences. The author established that racism was the main motivating factor behind this unfairness.
The enquiry found out that the court system favours white criminals during sentencing. The impact of the research is that it helped provide things that can be done to eliminate the disparity in the duration of sentencing experienced in the country. The research concluded that the shorter sentences given to white criminals are intentionally perpetuated. One of the intention that was establish was the desire to lock out black criminals more from the society since the judges appeared to believe that black were more likely to commit crimes.
Rhodes, W. M., Kling, R., Luallen, J., & Dyous, C. (2015). Federal sentencing disparity: 2005-2012. Washington, DC: Bureau of Justice Statistics.
The main question in this article was this: what is the existing difference between the federal sentencing of white and minority individuals in regards to the duration of sentencing? Data sources that the authors used to obtain data include focus groups and surveys. The hypothesis of the study was that minority groups such as African Americans tend to receive longer federal sentences when compared to white criminals.
The investigation found out that African Americans are the most affected when it comes to the disparities in federal sentencing. The study found out that African Americans are given longer sentences when compared to whites. Authors Rhodes and Luallen find out that in court cases where black and white individuals had broken the same law and so deserved the same punishment, blacks were sentenced for longer.
The outcome of the research is that it helped provide detailed information about the problem of racism in the courts system especially when it comes to sentencing. The research concluded that the main thing contributing to the longer sentencing of African Americans is the stereotype that blacks are criminals. This as per the authors ought not to be the guiding principle for imprisoning criminals. The authors explain in the article that what the judges should be using is the stipulated law.
Spohn, C. (2017). Race and sentencing disparity. Reforming criminal justice: A report of the Acad