Marian R. Williams

White female victims and death penalty disparity research

Empirical studies of the death penalty continue to find that the race and gender of homicide victims are associated with the severity of legal responses in homicide cases even after controlling for legally relevant factors. A limitation of this research, however, is that victim race and gender are examined as distinct and independent factors in statistical models. In this study, we explore whether the independent examination of victim race and gender masks important differences in legal responses to homicides. In particular, we empirically test the hypothesis that defendants convicted of killing white females are significantly more likely to receive death sentences than killers of victims with other race-gender characteristics. Findings indicate that homicides with white female victims were more likely to result in death sentences than other victim race-gender dyads. We posit that this response may be unique and result in differential sentencing outcomes.

Assessing the Impact of Gender Inequality on Female Homicide Victimization Across U.S. Cities A Racially Disaggregated Analysis

To expand our understanding of gender inequality and violent crime, this study provides an assessment of the relationship between gender inequality and lethal violence against women. The authors use a cross-sectional design with racially disaggregated census data for 158 large U.S.cities in 1990 to assess the degree to which womens absolute status and their status relative to men affect their risk of homicide victimization. Overall, the findings suggestthat although certain measures of womens absolute and relative socioeconomic status are related to female homicide victimization rates, when race-specific measures are used, theeffects hold only for White women.

Racial disparity and death sentences in Ohio

The use of the death penalty has resulted in a number of studies attempting to determine if its application is consistent with the guidelines established by the United States Supreme Court. In particular, many studies have assessed whether there are racial disparities in the imposition of death sentences. This study examined the imposition of death sentences in Ohio, a state largely ignored by previous research and that, until 1999, had not executed an inmate since 1963. Drawing from previous studies that have examined the issue in other states, this study assessed the likelihood that a particular homicide would result in a death sentence, controlling for race of defendant and victim and other relevant factors. Results indicated both legal and extralegal factors (including race of victim) were significant predictors of a death sentence, supporting many previous studies that concluded that race plays a role in the imposition of the death penalty.

The Interactive Effects of Victim Race and Gender on Death Sentence Disparity Findings

Several death penalty studies examine whether victim race is associated with differential death sentencing outcomes; however, these studies tend to ignore the potential interaction of victim race and victim gender on decision-making outcomes. The present article examines the impact of the interaction of victim race and gender on death sentences in Ohio. When victim race and gender were considered, those homicides with White female victims were significantly more likely to result in a death sentence than homicides with other victim characteristics. This finding expands on previous research by identifying a specific victim gender-race combination, White female victim, as an extralegal factor that may partially explain previously identified race-of-victim disparities in death sentencing.

A Comparison of Sentencing Outcomes for Defendants with Public Defenders Versus Retained Counsel in a Florida Circuit Court

The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states that a criminal defendant has the right to counsel for his defense, and the Fourteenth Amendment states that defendants must be provided due process and equal protection under law. Despite this, it is unclear whether indigent defendants in the United States-who are disproportionately ethnic minorities-are receiving such protections when it comes to the defense of their criminal cases. Approximately 80 percent of criminal defendants require court-appointed counsel because they are indigent. Many have questioned whether the case outcomes of defendants with court-appointed counsel are equivalent to those of defendants with retained counsel (Marcus, 1994).The focus of this note is a public defender system. Public defender systems have been subject to much criticism because of the problems that some jurisdictions face. Many systems are underfunded, resulting in low salaries for attorneys and insufficient legal and support staff. The lack of funds and staff can result in overwhelming caseloads (Calogero, 1995; Drecksel, 1991; Marcus, 1994; Ogletree, 1995). It appears that one of the biggest problems facing all indigent defense systems is funding. Funding can affect the quality of services provided if there are not enough resources to do the job adequately. The current study addressed this issue by examining the public defender system in a northern Florida county. Effectiveness can be measured in a number of ways, including client satisfaction, number of dismissals, and favorable outcomes. This study focused simply on whether public defenders are able to obtain similar sentences for their clients when compared with private attorneys, controlling for relevant case characteristics such as charge seriousness and prior record. The state of Florida is considered to have an above-average public defender system (Spangenberg Group, 1996); therefore, negative results attributed to a good public defender system could have strong policy implications.

Diversity and Citizen Participation: The Effect of Race on Juror Decision Making

Juries rarely receive attention in public administration despite the explicitly “public” nature of their function and the determinative nature of their decision making. Applying the theoretical construct of public participation to jury decision making, we find that Black defendants are less likely to be convicted by juries composed of a higher percentage of Black jurors and are more likely to be convicted by juries composed of a higher percentage of White and Hispanic jurors. Thus, analysis of public participation must account for the relative inclusivity and diversity of participants as this will likely affect the output of the process. In short, diversity matters in public participation.

Gender and Sentencing: An Analysis of Indicators

Research examining the role of gender in criminal sentencing has focused on gender bias, in that females are sentenced to lesser punish ments than males for the same offense. What many studies have not addressed is the extent to which sentencing guidelines have affected gen der bias. In other words, does gender bias exist, even in the presence of sentencing guidelines?

JUSTICE, JURIES, AND CONVICTIONS: THE RELEVANCE OF RACE IN JURY VERDICTS

ABSTRACT Previous research has suggested that the racial composition of a jury plays a role in the likelihood of conviction of certain defendants. In general, it has been supported that White jury members are more likely to vote to convict Black defendants, while Black jury members are more likely to vote to acquit Black defendants. Prior research has suffered from flaws that could possibly affect these outcomes. For instance, the use of mock juries to examine jury behavior creates artificiality and may not adequately reflect real jury decision-making. Additionally, research on real juries either focuses on certain types of cases (i.e., capital cases) or suffers from problems relating to insufficient or incomplete trial or jury data. As a result, existing jury research has failed to fully capture or explain the factors that are related to jury-decision-making in non-capital felony trials. The current research examined case outcomes in real jury trials of defendants charged with non-capital felonies. In particular, the current study analyzed the relationship between the racial composition of the jury and conviction of black defendants. Results indicated a significant relationship between these two variables.

The Effect of Attorney Type on Bail Decisions

The U.S. Supreme Court has indicated that defendants are entitled to effective assistance of counsel. Despite this, many research studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that defense counsel, particularly appointed counsel, struggles to provide effective assistance, especially with regard to case outcomes. These studies suggest that having appointed counsel negatively affects case outcomes, such as conviction and sentencing, in that those with appointed counsel are more likely to be convicted and/or sentenced to longer incarceration terms. Previous research has largely ignored earlier stages of a case and the effect of type of counsel on these earlier case outcomes. The current study examines the effect of counsel—public defender versus retained—on bail decisions in Florida. Previous research has indicated that bail decisions have an effect on the outcome of a case, so the importance of bail decisions cannot be overlooked.

The role of prerequisites in a criminal justice curriculum

This article examines the value of requiring prerequisites beyond the standard introduction to criminal justice course in a criminal justice program. Using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression of eight sections of a criminal procedure course over a period of four years, this study found a significant difference in final grades in an upper-level Criminal Procedure class between students who enrolled in a recommended prerequisite (Criminal Courts) and students who did not take the prerequisite. As administrators become increasingly concerned with student success, it is argued that additional prerequisites may be beneficial in improving student learning.