Color of justice: Exploring racial biases in sentencing outcomes
Presentation Type
Abstract
Faculty Advisor
Thomas Loikith
Access Type
Event
Start Date
25-4-2025 1:30 PM
End Date
25-4-2025 2:29 PM
Description
Racial bias still unfairly influences sentencing outcomes in the American criminal justice system. Racial minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics, continue to face disproportionately harsh sentences compared to their white counterparts convicted of the same crimes. This problem is due in part to the complex interplay of implicit and systemic racial bias and socioeconomic and other factors. What can and should be done to reform the American legal system to eliminate racial inequity in sentencing outcomes? This is a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary research and analysis to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding. I researched the problem through the disciplinary perspectives of law and sociology. During the period September 2024 through March 2025, I used qualitative research methodology, (textual analysis), to analyze relevant sources. The sources included relevant texts, the Supreme Court opinion in US v. Booker (holding that Federal Sentencing Guidelines were only advisory), and relevant articles from scholarly journals. From these sources I identified conflicting insights, determined common ground between them, integrated them, and arrived at a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. This resulted in suggested resolutions of the problem. I conclude: (1) the criminal justice system requires reform to address racial profiling, criminal history, enhanced judicial accountability, and socioeconomic factors; (2) Federal Sentencing Guidelines should be reformed to limit their emphasis on crime severity and criminal history, and to address potential biases instead. My study will also open avenues for research by other scholars seeking solutions to the problem of racial bias in determining sentencing outcomes.
Color of justice: Exploring racial biases in sentencing outcomes
Racial bias still unfairly influences sentencing outcomes in the American criminal justice system. Racial minorities, especially African Americans and Hispanics, continue to face disproportionately harsh sentences compared to their white counterparts convicted of the same crimes. This problem is due in part to the complex interplay of implicit and systemic racial bias and socioeconomic and other factors. What can and should be done to reform the American legal system to eliminate racial inequity in sentencing outcomes? This is a complex problem requiring interdisciplinary research and analysis to arrive at a more comprehensive understanding. I researched the problem through the disciplinary perspectives of law and sociology. During the period September 2024 through March 2025, I used qualitative research methodology, (textual analysis), to analyze relevant sources. The sources included relevant texts, the Supreme Court opinion in US v. Booker (holding that Federal Sentencing Guidelines were only advisory), and relevant articles from scholarly journals. From these sources I identified conflicting insights, determined common ground between them, integrated them, and arrived at a more comprehensive understanding of the problem. This resulted in suggested resolutions of the problem. I conclude: (1) the criminal justice system requires reform to address racial profiling, criminal history, enhanced judicial accountability, and socioeconomic factors; (2) Federal Sentencing Guidelines should be reformed to limit their emphasis on crime severity and criminal history, and to address potential biases instead. My study will also open avenues for research by other scholars seeking solutions to the problem of racial bias in determining sentencing outcomes.
Comments
Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.