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Race Effects of Representation among Federal Court Workers: Does Black Workforce Representation Reduce Sentencing Disparities?

Author

Listed:
  • Amy Farrell

    (College of Criminal Justice, Institute on Race and Justice at Northeastern University)

  • Geoff Ward

    (Department of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine)

  • Danielle Rousseau

    (Northeastern University)

Abstract

Increasing racial group representation among justice professionals is considered a potential remedy to inequality in the administration of justice, including racial disparities in sentencing. Research shows mixed effects of decision maker race on sentencing. Most studies focus exclusively on the significance of individual judges' status characteristics, however, failing to consider racial group representation among other court actors. The authors consider whether such representation within and across multiple categories of court workers—judges, prosecutors, defense lawyers, and probation officers—relates to federal sentencing out comes. Findings reveal that the effect of defendant race on imprisonment decisions differs across judicial districts and is influenced by variable levels of black workforce representation. Specifically, districts with greater black representation among prosecutors are distinguished by more racially equitable odds of incar ceration. Conversely, increased black representation among probation officers is associated with greater disparity between the sentences of blacks and whites.

Suggested Citation

  • Amy Farrell & Geoff Ward & Danielle Rousseau, 2009. "Race Effects of Representation among Federal Court Workers: Does Black Workforce Representation Reduce Sentencing Disparities?," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 623(1), pages 121-133, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:anname:v:623:y:2009:i:1:p:121-133
    DOI: 10.1177/0002716208331128
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Darrell Steffensmeier & Chester L. Britt, 2001. "Judges' Race and Judicial Decision Making: Do Black Judges Sentence Differently?," Social Science Quarterly, Southwestern Social Science Association, vol. 82(4), pages 749-764, December.
    2. Max Schanzenbach, 2005. "Racial and Sex Disparities in Prison Sentences: The Effect of District-Level Judicial Demographics," The Journal of Legal Studies, University of Chicago Press, vol. 34(1), pages 57-92, January.
    3. Raganella, Anthony J. & White, Michael D., 2004. "Race, gender, and motivation for becoming a police officer: Implications for building a representative police department," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 32(6), pages 501-513.
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    Cited by:

    1. Crow, Matthew S. & Goulette, Natalie, 2022. "Judicial diversity and sentencing disparity across U.S. District Courts," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

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