I uploaded what the assignment is about, and here is my research question, along with the independent and dependent variables, and useful references that can be used: Research question: Is discretion by a certain courtroom actor, such as the judge, linked to racial disparities in sentencing outcomes? IV: Discretion from the Judges DV: Racial disparities in sentencing outcomes IV: Discretion refers to the authority judges have to adjust sentences based on the specifics of each case

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I uploaded what the assignment is about, and here is my research question, along with the independent and dependent variables, and useful references that can be used: Research question: Is discretion by a certain courtroom actor, such as the judge, linked to racial disparities in sentencing outcomes? IV: Discretion from the Judges DV: Racial disparities in sentencing outcomes IV: Discretion refers to the authority judges have to adjust sentences based on the specifics of each case. According to Fischman and Schanzenbach (2012), judges can use the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines as a guide, but they are not required to follow them strictly. A judge may also go outside of the sentencing guidelines if the facts of a case justify it, and they must provide an explanation for their decisions. Also, when it comes to plea bargains, Judges don’t have to stick to the facts agreed upon in the plea deal; they can change the offense level based on what they find out during the case (Fischman & Schanzenbach, 2012). For this study, I plan to use discretion as the authority judges have to modify sentences based on the sentencing guidelines they follow, as discussed in Fischman and Schanzenbach (2012). This perspective highlights how judges' decisions are influenced by these guidelines when determining sentences. DV: Racial disparities occur when individuals of color receive different sentences than white individuals, often not justified by the severity of the crime. Topaz, Ning, Ciocanel, and Bushway (2023) explain that these disparities arise from various factors, including race, socioeconomic status, and the discretion exercised by judges and prosecutors. These factors significantly influence the differences in sentencing among people of color and whites (Topaz, Ning, Ciocanel, & Bushway, 2023). For this study, I plan to use racial disparities as the differences in sentencing amounts between people of color and white individuals, as discussed in Topaz, Ning, Ciocanel, and Bushway (2023). This focus on race and ethnicity will help explain the factors contributing to these disparities in sentencing outcomes. References: Topaz, C. M., Ning, S., Ciocanel, M.-V., & Bushway, S. (2023). Federal criminal sentencing: Race-based disparate impact and differential treatment in judicial districts. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 366. Fischman, J. B., & Schanzenbach, M. M. (2012). Racial disparities under the federal sentencing guidelines: The role of judicial discretion and mandatory minimums. Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, 9(4), 729–764. Spohn, C. (2000). Thirty years of sentencing reform: The quest for a racially neutral sentencing process. In J. Horney (Ed.), Policies, processes, and decisions of the criminal justice system (Vol. 3, pp. 427–502). U.S. Department of Justice. Everett, R. S., & Wojtkiewicz, R. A. (2002). Difference, Disparity, and Race/Ethnic Bias in Federal Sentencing. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 18(2), 189–211. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015258732676 3. Bushway, S. D., & Piehl, A. M. (2001). Judging Judicial Discretion: Legal Factors and Racial Discrimination in Sentencing. Law & Society Review, 35(4), 733–764. https://doi.org/10.2307/3185415 Topaz, C. M., Ning, S., Ciocanel, M.-V., & Bushway, S. (2023). Federal criminal sentencing: race-based disparate impact and differential treatment in judicial districts. Humanities & Social Sciences Communications, 10(1), 366–10. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01879-5 Waldfogel, J. (1998). Does inter-judge disparity justify empirically based sentencing guidelines? International Review of Law and Economics, 18(3), 293–304. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0144-8188(98)00013-1 Kamalu, N. C., Coulson-Clark, M., & Kamalu, N. M. (2010). Racial Disparities in Sentencing: Implications for the Criminal Justice System and the African American Community. African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies : AJCJS, 4(1), 1-31. http://ezp.lib.cwu.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/racial-disparities-sentencing-implications/docview/610007196/se-2