NCJ Number
113152
Date Published
1988
Length
69 pages
Annotation
A sample of 2,336 people committing felonies and interviewed by the Connecticut Bail Commission in 1983-84 formed the basis of an analysis of the reasons for the large numbers of blacks and Hispanics found in all stages of Connecticut's criminal justice system.
Abstract
The research arose from the awareness that 60 percent of the persons interviewed by the Bail Commission, found guilty, and imprisoned are either black or Hispanic. The study sought to determine whether disparate treatment of minorities exists and results from decisions made at the steps between the initial Bail Commission interview and the actual serving of the sentence. Seventy percent of the sample had a criminal history, and 66 percent were found guilty of some crime. Forty-seven percent of the guilty were sentenced to prison, usually serving 1 year or less. Regression analysis of decisions made at different points during criminal justice processing indicated that disparities in treatment exist. However, no one racial or ethnic group is harmed in comparison to others. Future attention should focus on each separate decision within the criminal justice system and on the factors that lead people into the criminal justice system. Tables and appended study instrument and related materials.