Model
Digital Document
Publisher
Florida Atlantic University
Description
The judicial treatment of adult male and female criminal
offenders is theoretically and empirically examined in
this paper. After discussing various problems with the
chivalry hypothesis and labelling theory, the two major
explanations of gender disparities, an empirical test
is made to determine the accuracy of both perspectives.
Examining a sample of 543 adult felony cases in Dade
County, Florida, using multiple regression to control
for the effects of relevant legal and non-legal variables
indicated inconsistent differences in treatment by sex
at the levels of negotiations, prosecution, conviction
and sentence. These differences also vary over the three
time periods examined: 1965-1966, 1971, 1975-1976.
Because the findings do not support any existing theory
of the differential legal handling of male and female
offenders, a new, integrated theory is formulated and
set forth.
offenders is theoretically and empirically examined in
this paper. After discussing various problems with the
chivalry hypothesis and labelling theory, the two major
explanations of gender disparities, an empirical test
is made to determine the accuracy of both perspectives.
Examining a sample of 543 adult felony cases in Dade
County, Florida, using multiple regression to control
for the effects of relevant legal and non-legal variables
indicated inconsistent differences in treatment by sex
at the levels of negotiations, prosecution, conviction
and sentence. These differences also vary over the three
time periods examined: 1965-1966, 1971, 1975-1976.
Because the findings do not support any existing theory
of the differential legal handling of male and female
offenders, a new, integrated theory is formulated and
set forth.
Member of