Missouri Sentencing and Race: A Closer Look from 2007-2015

Authors

Grant Shostak, Lindenwood University
Ryan V. Guffey, Lindenwood University

Abstract

Contrary to the perception, it is judges, not juries, that typically determine the sentence for a convicted criminal defendant. While all citizens are to be treated equal under the law, recent cries to overhaul our criminal justice system came to a head following the wake of Officer Darren Wilson’s (Caucasian) shooting and killing of Michael Brown (African-American) in Ferguson, Missouri. This paper attempts to examine sentencing practices of Missouri courts from 2007-2015, covering a time period both before and after Brown’s death in 2014.

Recommended Citation

Shostak, Grant and Guffey, Ryan V. (2016) "Missouri Sentencing and Race: A Closer Look from 2007-2015," Missouri Policy Journal: Vol. 1: Iss. 4, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62608/2330-930X.1016
Available at: https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/mpj/vol1/iss4/5