Using an interrupted time-series design, this paper analyzes the impact of Minnesota's sentencing guidelines on reducing unwarranted disparity in sentencing outcomes that fall within their scope of authority. Specifically, two questions are addressed: (1) whether the actuation of the guidelines had an immediate effect on reducing disparity for the no prison/prison and length of prison sentencing decisions, and (2) whether any initial reduction in sentencing disparity was sustained over time. The findings suggest that Minnesota's sentencing guidelines effectuated an immediate and substantial impact on curtailing sentencing disparities; there was a 22 percent decline in disparity for the no prison/prison outcome and a 60 percent reduction in sentencing inequality for the length of prison decision. Further analysis revealed that the effect of the guidelines for the no prison/prison outcome was only temporary. Two explanations for this reversionary trend are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2746. / Major Professor: Gordon P. Waldo. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_76961 |
| Contributors | Stolzenberg, Lisa Ann., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 135 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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