Is Chivalry Dead?: An Examination of Charge Reductions in One Ohio Jurisdiction

Abstract

Scholars continue to recognize the important role prosecutorial discretion plays in the criminal court system. Using a sample of felony cases referred to one Prosecutor’s Office in Ohio, the current study investigates whether true or selective chivalry exists by examining main and interactive effects of defendant sex on the likelihood of reduced charges and the magnitude of these reductions using a novel approach. Results suggest that true chivalry exists between White males and females, however, no significant differences were noted between Black and White females.