Work

Does Having a Minor Child Affect Criminal Charges and Sanctions Imposed on Female Defendants?

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: This study examined effects of having a minor child(ren) on the probability of being prosecuted, convicted, and if convicted, the sanctions that were imposed. Data were state-wide court and birth records of criminally-charged women in North Carolina, a state with sentencing guidelines. We hypothesized that (a) prosecutors would be less likely to prosecute and more likely to lower an offense class and (b) judges (when they had discretion) would be more lenient for women in sentencing with minor children than without. Having a minor child(ren) reduced the probability of prosecution; given prosecution, conviction rates fell. When the judge had discretion, having minor children reduced the probability of an active sentence. Having a minor child had no effect on minimum sentence length for women with active sentences. Presence of a minor child affects prosecutorial and judicial decisions affecting women charged with a criminal offense.

Source: Women & Criminal Justice

DOI: 10.1080/08974454.2019.1688222

Authors: Frank A. Sloan, Elizabeth J. Gifford, Kelly E. Evans, Lindsey E. Kozecke

Institution: Duke University

Language: English

Topic: Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis

Subfield: Sociology and Political Science

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Gender equality

Open Access status: green

Funders: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, National Institute on Drug Abuse