Sentencing: Demographic Factors in

Abstract

Demographic characteristics of defendants are considered extralegal factors because they are not characteristics of the crime and therefore should not influence jurors' verdicts or sentencing decisions. However, ample evidence exists that jurors do consider extralegal factors when rendering verdicts and deciding on sentencing judgments for a defendant. This article reviews the literature on demographic characteristics of the defendant and how these factors influence jurors' judgments. Particularly, the impacts of race, age, and gender on jurors sentencing decisions are reviewed. This article addresses how these demographic characteristics can create biases that will influence jurors' decisions in a case. Relevant theoretical explanations are discussed to explain the findings from field studies as well as experimental studies.