We propose a test of bias based upon patterns of judicial errors. We model the trial court as minimizing a weighted sum … of type I and II errors. We define racial bias a situation where the weight depends on defendant/victim race. If the …

towards defendants of their own race during the guilt-innocence decision. In the sentencing phase, we find in-group bias in … identifies such opposing effects of bias within the same decision sequence. Regarding overall racial bias, we document that … minorities are more likely to get convicted, and that they are given stiffer punishment, conditional on conviction. We find only …

receiving a life sentence by 67 percent. Straightforward remedies could mitigate this severe bias …

offenders received longer sentences. The results are consistent with other interpretations of the period as the "era of the …

, primarily through an increase in guilty pleas. Pre-trial detention has no detectable effect on future crime, but decreases pre …-trial crime and failures to appear in court. We also find suggestive evidence that pre-trial detention decreases formal sector …

of engaging in crime and therefore, a priori drawing the conclusion that criminal activity cannot be altered by … investigate the sensitivity of the results to changes in the estimation sample (removing high executing states for example) and … induced by capital punishment. Research findings about the deterrent effect of the death penalty evoke strong feelings, which …

, incarceration creates large and lasting reductions in recidivism among first offenders. Yet, among marginal repeat offenders … first offenders while encouraging or mandating incarceration sentences for many repeat offenders. We show that methods that … fail to estimate separate outcome equations for first versus repeat offenders or fail to model judge-specific sentencing …