Contextual Influences on the Sentencing of Individuals Convicted of Sexual Crimes
Lisa Thompson1, Jason Rydberg1, Michael Cassidy2
1University of Massachusetts Lowell, USA.
Abstract:
This study examines effects of court and community contextual factors on sentencing outcomes for individuals convicted of sexual crimes using indicators from two perspectives-focal concerns and populist punitiveness. Sourced from the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, the sample includes 9,431 persons convicted of sexual crimes and a precision-matched sample of persons convicted of non-sexual violent crimes for comparison. Based on multilevel hurdle regression models for both incarceration and sentence length decisions, results indicate that individuals convicted of sexual crimes face enhanced sentence severity in judicial districts with smaller courts, increased jail capacity, stronger political competition, and higher religious homogeneity. The results also suggest statistically significant differences between effects for persons convicted of sexual crimes and a matched sample of persons convicted of violent crimes. Overall, results suggest that specific contextual factors have a distinguishable impact on sentencing of individuals convicted of sexual crimes.
Related Concept Videos
Sexually Transmitted Infections
Impact of Individuals on Individuals
Male Sexual Response: Erection & Ejaculation
The blood filling the erectile tissues compresses the veins, which helps to prevent blood from leaving...
Development of the Sexual Organs in the Embryo and Fetus
Near the gonadal ridges, two duct systems are present: the mesonephric ducts (Wolffian ducts) and paramesonephric ducts (Müllerian ducts). These ducts form the basis for the...
Bioavailability: Influencing Factors
The Influence of Affect on Cognition


