NCJ Number
176577
Journal
American Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 19 Issue: 2 Dated: Spring 1995 Pages: 161-184
Date Published
1995
Length
14 pages
Annotation
Data on defendants charged with violent felonies in Detroit Recorder's Court during 1976, 1977, and 1978 were used to study the effect of race and gender on the amount of bail imposed by the judge and on the defendant's pretrial status.
Abstract
The research was prompted by suggestions that researchers interested in the relationship between defendant race, defendant gender, and criminal justice outcomes broaden their focus to include pretrial decision making. Results revealed that judges take gender, but not race, into account in determining the amount of bail for certain types of cases. Black females experienced lower bail than did black males in less serious cases. In contrast, both race and gender affected the likelihood of pretrial release. White defendants were more likely than black defendants to be released pending trial; females were more likely than males to be released prior to trial. In fact, white females, white males, and black females were all more likely than black males to be released. Tables, notes, and 47 references (Author abstract modified)