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Do correctional authorities treat all offenders equally? Evaluating the use of a risk assessment instrument

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  • Georgiou, Georgios

Abstract

Discriminatory practices on the part of correctional authorities have long been subjected to public and scientific scrutiny. This paper explores whether the correctional authorities in Washington State targeted certain demographic or other groups of offenders more than others in the process of making risk assessment decisions. Using a statewide sample of adult offenders and a set of controlled and uncontrolled regressions, I do not find evidence that the authorities targeted particular groups of offenders. Moreover, the authorities did not focus their attention on groups with higher recidivism rates, which is evidence against the presence of statistical discrimination.

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  • Georgiou, Georgios, 2022. "Do correctional authorities treat all offenders equally? Evaluating the use of a risk assessment instrument," International Review of Law and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:irlaec:v:69:y:2022:i:c:s0144818821000570
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irle.2021.106033
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Statistical discrimination; Risk assessment instruments; Recidivism;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • K14 - Law and Economics - - Basic Areas of Law - - - Criminal Law
    • K42 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law

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