I have already started the paper and need help finishing it.
Our system of justice stresses equality under the law as well as uniformity and fairness in the administration of justice. Empirical research, however, has uncovered that discretion afforded to system actors can result in disparities in outcomes based on extra–legal factors and case processing practices.
Using findings from the research readings assigned for this course, write a research paper describing current empirical knowledge about the correlates of court decision– making practices. Based on this what is your view of the administration of justice in the United States
Some of the questions you could respond to in your paper are:
– Do we have equality under the law? Are defendants treated similarly at all
stages?
– Do extra–legal factors affect decision–making?
– What factors are the most influential of prosecution and punishment? Does the
type of offense affect these factors?
– Do offender, victim, and judge characteristics play a role in court decisions?
– Can we generalize the manner in which laws are enforced and punishments are
meted out across the country, or are there contexts which influence court
outcomes (i.e., place, geography, and/or demography)?
