Some Factors in Sentencing Policy

Abstract

Robert M. Carter received his D. Crim. from the University of California in 1966 and is a research criminologist at the School of Criminology, University of California at Berkeley. Dr. Carter has served as Correctional Officer at San Quentin from 1952-53; in counter-intelligence work in the U. S. Army 1953-57; as an agent of the Federal Bureau of Narcotics in 1957; and from 1958-64 as a United States Probation and Parole Officer. Leslie T. Wilkins is a professor with the School of Criminology, University of California at Berkeley. In 1949 he was awarded the Francis Wood Memorial Prize of the Royal Statistical Society for outstanding social research. Mr. Wilkins served in operational research in flying safety with the Royal Air Force, as a Senior Research Officer with the Government Social Survey, and as a Deputy Director of Research (Crime Research Unit) with the Home Department. From 1964 to 1966 he was a Senior Advisor at the United Nations Asia and Far East Institute for the Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders in Tokyo, Japan. Mr. Wilkins is the author of Social Policy, Action and Research. In their paper the authors present a documented conclusion that will undoubtedly be a surprise to many jurists, lawyers, and crininologists with respect to the disparities in the sentences imposed by federal district court judges.