Is Justice Blind? The Effect of Popular Opinion, Race, and Selection System on Death Penalty Relief Público

Abstract

This thesis examines the effects of popular support for the death penalty, judicial selection system, and the race of the defendant, as well as the race of the victim, on the probability of relief from the death penalty being granted. Using R for data analysis and data visualization, there is support for the claim that the race of the victim has an effect on the probability of relief.

Table of Contents

Introduction.......................... 1

Question, Hypotheses, Importance..........................1

Literature Review - Race, Sentencing, and Popular Opinion..........................14

Data, Variables, and Methods..........................19

Independent Variables.......................... 20

Dependent Variable..........................23

Control Variables..........................23

Results - All Figures..........................27

Analysis - Hypothesis One..........................30

Analysis - Hypothesis Three..........................33

Analysis - Hypothesis Four..........................37

Analysis - General..........................41

Conclusion..........................42

References..........................46

Appendix A: Figures..........................48

Figure 1 - Average Probability of Relief Based on Race of the Defendant..........................48

Figure 2 - Probability of Relief in Retention Election Based on the Race of the Defendant..........................49

Figure 3 - Probability of Relief in Non-Partisan Election System Based on the Race of the Defendant..........................50

Figure 4 - Probability of Relief in Appointment Selection System Based on the Race of the Defendant..........................51

Figure 5 - Probability of Relief in Partisan Election System Based on the Race of the Defendant..........................52

Figure 6 - Probability of Relief Across All Selection Systems for White Defendants..........................53

Figure 7 - Probability of Relief Across All Selection Systems for Minority Defendants..........................54

Figure 8 - Average Probability of Relief Based on Race of the Victim..........................55

Figure 9 - Probability of Relief in Retention Election Based on the Race of the Victim..........................56

Figure 10 - Probability of Relief in Non-Partisan Election System Based on the Race of the Victim..........................57

Figure 11 - Probability of Relief in Appointment Selection System Based on the Race of the Victim..........................58

Figure 12 - Probability of Relief in Partisan Election System Based on the Race of the Victim..........................59

Figure 13 - Probability of Relief Across All Selection Systems for Defendants Who Killed White Victims..........................60

Figure 14 - Probability of Relief Across All Selection Systems for Defendants Who Killed Minority Victims..........................61

Appendix B: Tables..........................62

Table 1: Standard Deviation and Frequency Distributions of Variables..........................62

Table 2: Model 1 - Standard Error..........................62

Table 3: Model 2 - Standard Error..........................63

Table 4: Model 3 - Standard Error..........................63

Table 5: Model 4 - Standard Error..........................64

Table 6: Model 5 - Standard Error..........................64

Table 7: Model 6 - Standard Error..........................65

Table 8: Model 7 - Standard Error..........................65

Table 9: Model 8 - Standard Error..........................66

Table 10: Model 9 - Standard Error..........................66

Table 11: Model 10 - Standard Error..........................67

Table 12: Model 11 - Standard Error..........................67

Table 13: Model 12 - Standard Error.......................... 68

Table 14: Model 13 - Standard Error...........................68

Table 15: Model 14 - Standard Error..........................69

Table 16: Contingency Table for Crime by Person..........................69

Appendix C: List of States Included..........................70

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Political Science
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Sociology, Theory and Methods
Palabra Clave	Law Popular Opinion Death Penalty
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Clark, Tom, Emory University
Committee Members	Walker, Thomas G, Emory University Sullivan, Michael, Emory University

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