Citation

Radelet ML. Am. Sociol. Rev. 1981; 46(6): 918-927.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, American Sociological Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper explores the question of whether death penalty statutes passed after the 1972 Supreme Court decision in Furman v. Georgia successfully eliminate racial disparities in capital cases. Over 600 homicide indictments in twenty Florida counties in 1976 and 1977 were examined, focusing on homicides between strangers (nonprimary homicides). Those accused of murdering whites are more likely to be sentenced to death than those accused of murdering blacks. This trend is due primarily to the higher probability for those accused of murdering whites to be indicted for first degree murder. When controlling for race of the victim, the data do not clearly support the hypothesis that race of the defendant is strongly associated with the probability of a first degree murder indictment or the imposition of the death penalty. (abstract Adapted from Source: American Sociological Review, 1981. Copyright © 1981 by the American Sociological Association)

Racial Differences
Racial Factors
Racial Discrimination
Correctional Decision Making
Sentencing
Criminal Justice System
Capital Punishment
Death Penalty
Black-White Comparison
Caucasian Adult
Caucasian Offender
Caucasian Violence
African American Adult
African American Offender
African American Violence
Homicide Offender
1970s
07-02