NCJ Number
93264
Date Published
1984
Length
43 pages
Annotation
This study determined whether and to what extent criminal justice outcomes and their determinants differ for Hispanics and non-Hispanics in Tuscon, Ariz., and El Paso, Tex.
Abstract
An analysis of 755 defendants whose most serious charge was robbery or burglary showed major differences between the two jurisdictions. There was no evidence of unfavorable Hispanic treatment in Tuscon. Being Hispanic had no effect on the type of adjudication received, verdicts, or sentence severity; in fact, Tucson Hispanics received more favorable pretrial release decisions than whites. By contrast, Hispanic defendants in El Paso received less favorable pretrial release outcomes than white defendants, were more likely to be convicted in jury trials, and received more severe sentences when found guilty by trial. Treatment differences in Tucson and El Paso may be due to different mechanisms for providing attorneys to indigent defendants, differences between established Hispanic citizens and less well established Mexican-American citizens and Mexican nationals, different methods for granting pretrial release, and disadvantages in court processing due to language difficulties. Future research should compare the criminal justice experiences of Hispanics and non-Hispanics in other jurisdictions and for other types of crime. Tabular data and 46 references are provided. (Author abstract modified)