Racially Determined Case Characteristics

Exploring Disparities in the Use of Sentencing Factors in England and Wales

Dados Bibliográficos

ID8401587
AutoresEoin Guilfoyle (0000-0002-2497-7735, Brunel University of London, autor correspondente), Jose Pina-Sánchez (0000-0002-9416-6022, University of Leeds)
Ano2025
Volume65
Fascículo2
Páginas241-260
Data de publicação2025-04-29
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoThe British Journal of Criminology (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0007-0955 • E-ISSN: 1464-3529
EditoraOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/bjc/azae039
OpenAlexW4400404600
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas16

There is little understanding of how documented ethnic disparities in sentencing outcomes in England and Wales come to be and, consequently, how to address them. We argue that disparities in sentence outcomes could stem from how cases are constructed. We hypothesize that case characteristics determined through a high degree of judicial discretion and an assessment of the offender have a high risk of being racially determined, and therefore, operate as precursors of ethnic disparities in sentencing. We test this using Crown Court Sentencing Survey and Court Proceedings data. We identify three sentencing factors (remorse, good character and ability to rehabilitate) clearly favouring White offenders. We contextualize their operation and argue that all three should be classified as racially determined and sources of ethnic disparity. We conclude by setting out targeted policy solutions

Criminology · Discretion · Ethnic group · Political science · Remorse · Test (biology) · Crime Patterns and Interventions · Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis · Law · Psychology · Psychopathy, Forensic Psychiatry, Sexual Offending · Social Psychology