The Interaction Between Victim Race and Gender on Sentencing Outcomes in Capital Murder Trials

Abstract

This study extends previous research on the interactive effects of victim race and gender on death sentence outcomes reported by Williams and Holcomb (2004). They report an interactive effect between victim race and victim gender on Ohio death sentencing outcomes, such that killers of White women are especially at risk of receiving death sentences. The study here seeks to determine if the Williams and Holcomb finding holds for a sample of murder cases in North Carolina for which the state sought the death penalty. Initial results of a descriptive analysis suggest a White female victim effect, but the introduction of control variables via logistic regression equations yields no gender or race interactions as predictors of sentencing outcomes. Reasons for the different outcomes are explored, and topics requiring further exploration are discussed.

A propensity score matching analysis of the relationship between victim sex and capital juror decision-making in North Carolina

“…To our knowledge, only six studies to date have specifically focused on the relationship between victim sex and capital sentencing outcomes (Gillespie et al, 2013;Holcomb et al, 2004;Richards et al, 2014;Stauffer et al, 2006;Williams and Holcomb, 2004;Williams et al, 2007). Results from this body of work have demonstrated evidence that is generally supportive of a female victim effect -at least at some times, under some circumstances -but that victim sex effects are often mediated and/or moderated by other factors.…”

“…Again, while cases with female victims and White victims were significantly more likely to receive the death penalty compared with cases involving male victims or non-White victims, cases with White female victims were associated with the highest odds of receiving the death penalty compared to the other victim race/sex compositions. Stauffer et al (2006) extended Williams and Holcomb's (2004) and Holcomb et al's (2004) research by examining victim sex, victim race, the interaction of victim sex and race, and several hypothesized mediating variables using a near population of North Carolina capital cases (n = 953) from 1979 to 2002. Their models included: (1) a model testing for the direct effect of victim sex and race, (2) a model testing for victim sex-race interaction effects, and (3) a model testing for effects of hypothesized mediating variables.…”

“…The majority of these studies have focused on the influence of race of the defendant, victim, or racial dyad (for comprehensive reviews, see Baldus and Woodworth, 2003;Kavanaugh-Earl et al, 2008); however, more recently some scholars have turned their attention to the potential effect of victim sex on capital sentencing decisions. The limited prior research on victim sex has demonstrated some support for a ''female victim effect'' such that capital cases involving a female victim are more likely to receive the death penalty than similarly situated cases with a male victim Stauffer et al, 2006;Williams and Holcomb, 2004). The prior research has been far from unequivocal though, and extant studies have provided evidence suggesting that the impact of victim sex may be conditioned by other case characteristics http://dx.…”

Crime clearance rates in Canadian municipalities: A test of Donald Black's theory of law

“…However, studies of crime reporting and policing and studies involving other stratification variables such as age, sex, and socioeconomic status produce mixed or negative results (see, for example, Baumer, 2002;Black, 1970;Braithwaite and Biles, 1980;Chappell and Maggard, 2007;D'Alessio and Stolzenberg, 2003;Doyle and Luckenbill, 1991;Eitle et al, 2005;Furlong and Mehay, 1981;Gaines, 2006;Gottfredson and Hindelang, 1979;Häkkänen and Laajasalo, 2006;Mastrofski et al,2002;Stauffer et al, 2006;Stolzenberg et al, 2004;Wells et al, 2006;Williams and Holcomb, 2004).…”

The Intersection of Victim Race and Gender

“…Results from an initial logistic regression analysis indicated that the coefficient for cases involving Black male victims was statistically different from cases involving White female victims (Stauffer et al, 2006). Cases involving Black male victims were only about half as likely to receive a death sentence.…”