Below is an essay question worth 15 points. You should directly address the question in a clear, well organized, elaborate discussion that demonstrates good knowledge of the material by correctly drawing from the assigned reading. To better demonstrate the connection between your arguments and the reading material, you should show where your information is coming from with citations and page numbers.
A few specific points to make regarding logistics and formatting:
▪ Your answer will be submitted as a PDF file that is named with [your last name]_Exam3.pdf. Creating this PDF will involve crafting your answer in a normal word processing program (e.g., MS Word) and then converting it to a PDF file when you are done.
▪ Your document should be single-spaced with an extra line between paragraphs.
▪ Although length may vary, answers should in most instances be about 7-8 paragraphs and 3 pages.
▪ In drawing from the reading material, do not rely too heavily on direct quotes or use of the exact (or nearly exact) language used by the authors. You should develop good habits in the area of paraphrasing and putting ideas into your own words.
▪ Your PDF will be submitted through Canvas on the assignment page “Exam 3 (instructions/submit essay here).”
Here is the essay question:
A substantial volume of empirical research on race and sentencing has been conducted. This includes many older studies that have been the focus of systematic reviews of research on race and sentencing as well as very recent empirical studies up through the present. Describe this research, being sure to emphasize key conclusions that can be reached regarding (1) the effects of defendants’ race or ethnicity on sentencing outcomes and (2) the circumstances that influence the degree to which race/ethnicity matters for sentencing.