STATE POLITICAL CULTURE AND SENTENCE SEVERITY IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1978
Description
Previous studies have established a strong relationship between state politics and policies and have documented the role of state politics in the recruitment of federal judges. This study uses indicators of the political. policy, and socioeconomic characteristics of the American states to explain variance in the severity of sentences rendered in 1970 cases involving violation of the Selective Service Act. The findings reveal that a substantial proportion of the sentencing variation in these cases is associated with the political, policy, and socioeconomic environments of the state in which the case is adjudicated. Consistent with mast of the literature on state policy variance, it is found that the socioeconomic environment is a more effective predictor than either state politics or policy.
Citation Information
BROACH, GLEN T.; JACKSON, PHILLIP D.; and ASCOLILLO, VICTOR H.. 1978. STATE POLITICAL CULTURE AND SENTENCE SEVERITY IN FEDERAL DISTRICT COURTS. Criminology. Vol.16(3). 373-382. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-9125.1978.tb00098.x ISSN: 0011-1384