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Wu, J. (2016, April). Racial/Ethnic Discrimination and Prosecution: A Meta-Analysis. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 43(4), 437-458.

Abstract: Unwarranted disparity taking place at the stage of prosecution has long been an interest for sentencing researchers. Research exploring the effect of offender race on prosecutorial decisions, however, has produced conflicting and inconclusive results. Some studies concluded that minority offenders faced more unfavorable outcomes than White offenders, whereas others found no significant impact of race/ethnicity in the prosecution process. Still others found a minority advantage. Given these inconsistencies, this research uses meta-analytic methodology to assess empirical findings from a body of scholarship that examined the relationship between race/ethnicity and prosecutorial outcomes. Analyses of homogeneity and moderator variables are also conducted to explore whether there are factors accounting for variability in effect sizes across studies. The result suggests that minority offenders face greater odds of being charged or fully prosecuted than White offenders. Moreover, several moderators, primarily methodologically relevant, account for variability across effect sizes.

Question to consider

What is the focal concerns model and how does it apply to courtroom decision making?

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Donovan, K. M., & Klahm, C. F. (2015, December). The Role of Entertainment Media in Perceptions of Police Use of Force. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 42(12), 1261-1281.

Abstract: Scholars have long noted the importance of the media in shaping citizens’ attitudes about crime and justice. Most studies have focused on the impact of news and particularly local TV news, yet Americans spend far more time watching entertainment media. We examine the portrayal of police misconduct in crime dramas, and how exposure to these portrayals affects perceptions of the police. We find that viewers of crime dramas are more likely to believe the police are successful at lowering crime, use force only when necessary, and that misconduct does not typically lead to false confessions. In contrast, perceptions regarding the frequency of force are unaffected. Our results add to a growing literature demonstrating the importance of entertainment media for attitudes toward crime and the criminal justice system.

Question to consider

How do crime dramas distort crime and offending?