Gender Differences in Informal Processing - A Look at Charge Bargaining and Sentence Reduction in Washington, DC

• NCJ Number: 97960
• Journal: Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency Volume: 22 Issue: 2 Dated: (May 1985) Pages: 101-133
• Date Published: 1985
• Author(s): J Figueira-McDonough
• Length: 32 pages
• Grant Number(s): 79-NI-AX-0106
• Agencies: NIJ-Sponsored
• Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ); US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Research (Applied/Empirical)
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. Earlier version presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Toronto, 1982.

Annotation

Because the most important court decisions are not regulated by due process, any study concerned with discrimination should examine those informal processes. This study focuses on the processes of charge bargaining and sentence reduction.

Abstract

We identify criteria associated with these decisions and examine the differences in outcomes by gender of the defendant. It is found that dimensions of defense are the most important in determining a plea outcome favorable to the defendant, and that males fare better than females in this process. This suggests that policies stressing equalization of defense resources might be crucial in the regulation of plea bargaining. (Author abstract)