Quote:
Originally Posted by retiredguy123
Interesting report. I would just make a few observations about the sentencing differences report. First, the study only applies to Federal crimes, not state crimes. Also, I would expect whites to receive lighter sentences than blacks, not because of their race, but because of their economic advantage. In our justice system, defendants are allowed to hire their own defense attorneys. And, whites have a huge advantage when it comes to paying for a legal defense because they have more money. So, if you want equality in sentencing, then you need to totally change the system to prohibit a defendant from paying for their own defense. O.J. Simpson is a perfect example of how an expensive legal defense can produce a favorable result.
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Legal representation can make a huge difference but you did not mention the differing individual criminal histories of sentencing for similar crimes. A defendant with little or no criminal history is often given consideration over one who has lead a life of crime.