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Examining County-Level Implicit Stereotypes And Prejudice As Predictors Of Racial And Gender Disparities In Incarceration Across The United States, Emma Elizabeth Lee Money

Dissertations and Theses

Background: This dissertation investigated the role of local macropsychological factors - specifically, county-level implicit racial bias and implicit gender stereotyping - in shaping inequalities in incarceration across the United States. Despite overall declines in incarceration, trends in the incarceration of women and people of color (particularly Black women) show disparities compared to White men. Regional aggregations of implicit biases have been proposed as robust markers and drivers of systemic inequalities and are examined in current research.

Research Questions: Three overarching research questions (RQ) guided this dissertation: RQ1 tested the relationship between county-level implicit racial bias and proportions of Black (relative …

“Any Black Man Will Do”: A Transparency Framework For Eyewitness Identification In The Facial Recognition Technology Era, Ariam O. Kiflemariam

Washington Journal of Social & Environmental Justice

No abstract provided.

All-American Crime: Reflections On Welcome The Wretched By César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, Kit Johnson

University of Arkansas at Little Rock Law Review

In his 2024 book, Welcome the Wretched, Professor César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández questions why it is that non-citizens who have committed crimes are slated for removal from this country. After all, he notes, “Migrants don’t bring crime here. It’s already here. It always has been and always will be.”

We may not readily admit it, but crime in the United States is truly All-American. Section I of this Essay tries to shed light on the widespread nature of criminality in the United States by recounting my own crimes and those of family and friends, with the goal of pushing the …

The Overstated Cost Of Ai Fairness In Criminal Justice, Ignacio Cofone, Warut Khern-Am-Nuai

Indiana Law Journal

The dominant critique of algorithmic fairness in AI decision-making, particularly in criminal justice, is that increasing fairness reduces the accuracy of predictions, thereby imposing a cost on society. This Article challenges that assumption by empirically analyzing the COMPAS algorithm, a widely used and widely discussed risk assessment tool in the U.S. criminal justice system.

This Article makes two contributions. First, it demonstrates that widely used AI models do more than replicate existing biases—they exacerbate them. Using causal inference methods, we show that racial bias is not only present in the COMPAS dataset but also worsened by AI models such as …

Brief Of Amici Curia King County Department Of Public Defense, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Aclu Of Washington, And Washington Defender Association, Jessica Levin, Melissa R. Lee, Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic, Katherine Hurley, Kate L. Benward, Adrien Leavitt, La Rond Baker, Cindy Arends Elsberry

Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Ben Crump And Racialized Professionalism, Katherine A. Macfarlane

St. John's Law Review

(Excerpt)

Benjamin “Ben” Crump is the country’s most influential civil rights lawyer. His advocacy led to the arrest and prosecution of George Zimmerman. He has represented the families of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and many others, negotiating record-breaking settlements despite a body of civil rights precedent that is overwhelmingly pro-defendant. Crump is also a modern lawyer who uses press conferences and social media to advance his clients’ cause. To his clients, he is a lawyer, confidante, and friend. Yet, based on the way national media covers him, his significance isn’t always clear. When his work isn’t being erased, it’s …

What’S In A Name? How The Eleventh Circuit Ignored The Fourth Amendment To Hold That A Warrant For One Person Authorizes The Detention Of Others, Jared Mcclain, Dylan Moore

University of Miami Law Review

Odds are, your name isn’t all that unique. Most people share the same first and last name with hundreds, if not thousands, of other Americans. The frequency with which people share a name raises an important question of civil rights: What happens when officers arrest and detain an innocent person based on an arrest warrant that was issued for someone else with the same name?

In the Eleventh Circuit, the answer is almost always “nothing.” So long as a mistaken detention lasts three days or fewer, officers are free from accountability for apprehending the innocent—even if those officers have good …

No Lawyer, No Jail: A Critical Case Study Of Pragmatism And The Flaws Of “Purposeful” Decision Making In Argersinger V. Hamlin, Alisa Smith, Sarah K. Stice

Seattle University Law Review

By releasing conference notes and internal communications, Supreme Court Justices provide insight into the otherwise private decisionmaking process, shedding light on how case outcomes and legal reasoning are framed and negotiated. The watershed case of Argersinger v. Hamlin (1972) extended the constitutional right to counsel to some, but not all, misdemeanor defendants. The case was argued twice, and the Court relied on empirical and authoritative sources to answer complex and practical questions about requiring counsel. This case study employs critical discourse analysis to uncover what influenced the Justices’ decisions and how they framed, shaped, and constructed social realities to foreground …

The Race To Erase: Destruction Of Government Documents Undermines Freedom-Of-Information Laws, Frank D. Lomonte

Seattle University Law Review

In August 2019, reporters with Chattanooga’s daily newspaper, the Times Free Press, filed what seemed to be a routine request for access to emails and other public records held by their local county government. The seemingly unremarkable request set the newspaper’s staff on a months-long journey of unpleasant surprises. The first was a demand to pay the county $717 in advance before being allowed to inspect the documents. The second was that—during prolonged haggling over the fee assessment— the county attorney’s office simply destroyed almost all of the disputed records. Third, and most glaringly, the journalists discovered that Tennessee law …

When You’Re Arrested For A Felony In Seattle, You’Ll Meet Me., Austin Field

Seattle University Law Review

In this Essay, Austin Field, a practicing public defender, uses a first-person perspective to describe what it is like to meet a criminal defendant for the first time. He explains the process from start to finish, detailing everything from the way he introduces himself to how bail works.

"I’ll ask you for your name. Most of the time, you tell me. I check your name against my list. On any given day I’m supposed to interview between five and fifteen people. I have a lot of questions for you. We only have about ten minutes."

Initiating Remedies For Our Unconstitutional And Unlawful Residential Segregation, Richard Rothstein

Connecticut Law Review

In 1866, Congress passed a Civil Rights Act outlawing burdens on freed slaves not also imposed on free whites, reasoning that racial discrimination—both public and private—undermined effective emancipation. However, subsequent Supreme Court jurisprudence did not honor or uphold this law and its progeny. Had it done so, the hard-fought promise of equality would not have been broken, the America we know today would not be so racially segregated, and the “badges and incidents” of slavery could have been timely eliminated.

The racial segregation of America’s neighborhoods is not, as was long thought, merely the result of private activities such as …

The Conversation Continues: The Judiciary’S Evolving Role In Perpetuating Racial Disparities In Addiction Treatment, Sydney Crute

Fordham Law Review

Language is a powerful means of social control, an idea that resonates deeply with court rhetoric as it relates to race. This Note examines the language courts use when discussing cases related to drug use and addiction. During the crack epidemic, when Black individuals represented the race of the primary drug user and drug dealer, courts relied on racially coded language related to crime and fear. Alternatively, during the opioid epidemic, when White individuals represented the race of the primary drug user, courts relied on more neutral language related to the health and well-being of society. Finally, the language courts …

The Unwanted Child: A Historical Note, Lawrence M. Friedman

Cleveland State Law Review

Historically, the illegitimate child was unwanted: was "filius nullius," or nobody's child—a child without rights, and socially stigmatized. In many ways, both law and society conspired against these children. But both literature and the living law demonstrated that, in the 19th century, there were pockets of sympathy and understanding for these children. And the status of the illegitimate child changed over the years: both with regard to inheritance rights, and to position in society. Adoption law also made the unwanted, wanted—at least by the adopting parents. The marital status of parents became legally and socially more and more irrelevant over …

A Punishment That Harms Everyone And Benefits No One: An Analysis Of The Use Of Solitary Confinement Under Common Sociological Theories Of Punishment, Allison Lampert

Et Cetera

In the United States, experts estimate that nearly 100,000 incarcerated individuals are held in solitary confinement. While individuals can be held in solitary confinement for a variety of reasons, many are placed in lockdown because they have untreated mental illnesses, have committed some sort of minor disciplinary infraction, are need of protection, or for unpopular personal beliefs. In other words, solitary confinement is used as a broad catch-all to a wide range of low-level and nonviolent misbehaviors. This note argues that solitary confinement is an unjustifiable mode of punishment as analyzed under two commonly cited sociological theories of punishment: retributivism …

Brief Of Amici Curiae Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Aclu Of Washington And King County Department Of Public Defense, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Jessica Levin, Melissa Lee, Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic, David Montes, La Rond Baker

Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice Advocacy

No abstract provided.

The Development And Consequences Of The "Good Faith" Exception To The Exclusionary Rule And The Qualified "Good Faith" Immunity From Liability Under Section 1983, Philip M. Coffin Iii, Paul F. Driscoll

Maine Law Review

The remedies fashioned to redress violations of the fourth amendment to the United States Constitution continue to be the subject of much judicial, legislative, and scholarly inquiry. In striking the balance between the need to protect individual freedom and the need to protect society from criminal activity, the Supreme Court and Congress have developed two principal remedies for fourth amendment violations: the exclusionary rule and civil actions under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 or under theories of constitutional tort. on the development of both of these remedies it is assumed that their effectiveness is the true measure of fourth amendment liberties. …

Gender-Responsive Treatment For Girls And Women Within The Criminal Justice System, Kylie R. Huelsmann

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

There is a need for improved gender-responsive approaches for women and girls in the criminal justice system, especially for women of color and transgender individuals. Traditional programs built around men often neglect the unique challenges faced by these populations, such as substance use disorders, mental health conditions, trauma histories, and acting as caregivers. Women, in particular, experience higher rates of recidivism and barriers to successful reintegration. Trauma-informed and evidence-based programs that address mental health, addiction, and family support, ultimately lead to more effective rehabilitation and reduce recidivism for women and girls after adjudication.

Examining The Evidence: The Case Of Marcellus Williams And The Pursuit Of Justice, Star Parham

SACAD: Scholarly Activities

The case of Marcellus Williams, the case of a Missouri man killed on death row, has sparked many legal and ethical concerns. Those concerns are wrongful convictions, forensic evidence, and the orchestration of the death penalty in the United States. Willimas was convicted in 2001 for the murder of Felicia Gayle based on evidence of circumstances and testimony from informants. Despite all of that Missouri officials pursued the execution, and he was killed.

Cannabis At Work: Navigating The Intersection Of Employment Law And Legalized Marijuana, Eva Lane

Washington and Lee Journal of Civil Rights and Social Justice

As states increasingly legalize forms of cannabis use, federal regulation remains stagnant. These outdated laws still hold power, undermining state-granted rights. This impact is especially felt in the employment sector. While states pass laws legalizing cannabis use, employers still have a right to a drug free workplace. Many employment agreements prohibit drug use, even if legal under state law. This Note examines recent caselaw to analyze how courts are handling the battle between state and federal government as it relates to cannabis legalization. Ultimately, the argument highlights the risk employees face – engaging in what they believe is legal behavior …

Understanding Processes That Produce Racial Disparities In California Death Sentences: A Review Of The Literature, Catherine M. Grosso, Michael Laurence, Jeffrey A. Fagan

Faculty Scholarship

A robust and extensive body of empirical research, and a rich historical record, documents a recurring and pervasive influence of race in the application of California’s death penalty. This article reviews the legal and social science research to document multiple paths through which institutions and processes produce these racial disparities over many decisions in many cases across four decades. The article reviews relevant literature by decision, institution, or actor and presents key findings. This includes documenting the history of the broad statutory design of the California capital punishment statue. The review also considers research on policing, including the influence of …

Conservative Caution V. Progressive Originalism: How Justices Barrett And Jackson Are Paving Their Own Paths On The Court, David Rudenstine, Michael Waldman, Eric Freedman, Haiyun Damon-Feng, William D. Araiza, Mark Anthony Frassetto, Jake Meiseles, Michael Pollack, Linda Greenhouse, Earl M. Maltz

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The Conservative Caution v. Progressive Originalism symposium, hosted by the Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights and Social Justice on March 7, 2025, brings together leading constitutional scholars to examine the emerging judicial philosophies of Justices Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson. Through three expert panels—presidential immunity, gun rights, and judicial ideology—the symposium analyzes how both Justices are shaping contemporary originalist discourse from opposing ends of the ideological spectrum. Panelists explore the Supreme Court’s watershed decision in Trump v. United States (2024), emphasizing its unprecedented expansion of presidential immunity and its implications for separation of powers and democratic accountability. Discussions …

A Love Letter To The Leaders: Why Recognizing And Discussing Secondary Trauma In Legal Work Will Benefit Your Staff, Your Clients, And Most Importantly, The Work, Isabel Corngold, Elizabeth Cole

Nebraska Journal on Advancing Justice

When you work in a client-facing, client-centered section of the law like criminal law, and specifically wrongful convictions, you encounter trauma. Many organizations, including innocence organizations, do not do a sufficient job to recognize and address the impact of that trauma on their staff. This piece seeks to explain the potential impact of this trauma by, one, defining the terms burnout; secondary and vicarious trauma; empathetic distress; countertransference; and compassion fatigue, and, two, listing out signs and symptoms that can be caused by experiencing any of these emotions. Drawing from the authors’ experiences in innocence organizations, this piece addresses leaders …

Shoot First, Think Later, Pay Never: How Qualified Immunity Perpetuates The Modern-Day Lynching Of Black Americans And Why Abolition Is The Answer, Abigail Sloan

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

(Excerpt)

The purpose of this Note is to analogize today’s police killings of Black Americans to lynchings, and to examine how qualified immunity is one of many mechanisms governments and police departments use to evade accountability. The word “lynching” itself evokes an emotional and disturbing image of horror from the reconstruction-era South, with images of terroristic, racist violence which can be uncomfortable and traumatizing to confront. However, in using the word “lynching,” I intentionally and respectfully draw upon the similarities between historical lynchings and the police killings of Black Americans today, particularly in tracking the evolution of brutal violence to …

One Person, Endless Data: Prohibiting Personal Political Viewpoint Data Processing To Combat Voter Suppression, William Eddy

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

(Excerpt)

Polarization in American politics and elections continues to rise, due in no small part to advancing digital marketing technologies co-opted by political actors. In 2016, Cambridge Analytica, a political consulting firm, spearheaded right-wing populist campaigns to political victory in the United States and United Kingdom. The firm reconfigured commercial data processing methods to process personal political viewpoint data (“PPVD”) and perform “psychological manipulation.” While the firm has since dissolved, such practices are still used to manipulate American elections.

The European Union (“EU”), also in 2016, enacted the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). As a comprehensive data privacy reform, GDPR, …

When Does A Lie Become An Obstruction Of Justice?, Michael Allain

Journal of Civil Rights and Economic Development

(Excerpt)

Most people agree that lying is wrong. The early English, for example, were particularly sensitive to lying: “King Alfred provided that the slanderer shall have his tongue cut out, unless he could redeem it with the price of his head.” But determining which lies are culpable, if any, is thorny; some say harm-causing lies are culpable, while others disagree, advising caution.

Naturally, this debate has found its way into our law. One example lies in the obstruction of justice adjustment—a sentencing enhancement in the Federal Sentencing Guidelines (“the Guidelines”). How does that provision determine when a lie is culpable? …

Amicus Brief Of Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, Aclu-Washington, King County Department Of Public Defense, And Teamchild In Support Of Appellant, Jessica Levin, Melissa Lee, Ronald A. Peterson Law Clinic, Center For Civil Rights And Critical Justice, David Montes, La Rond Baker, Katherine Hurley, Sara Zier

Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice Advocacy

No abstract provided.

Community-Driven Policy Solutions To Police Accountability, Rashawn Ray

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

George Floyd’s death shifted public opinion as 76% of Americans agreed that incidents such as the killing of Floyd are signs of racism within law enforcement. While police reforms such as implicit bias training and body-worn cameras gained public support, they insufficiently address the structural, cultural, and organizational components of policing that can obstruct accountability and contribute to racial disparities in policing. In this lecture, Brooking Senior Fellow Rashawn Ray presents interview, survey, social media, and virtual reality data with police officers, activists, and civilians, and demonstrates state- and city-level databases on police reform legislation. Ray posits that evidence-based policy …

Participatory Defense And Three Pillars Of Criminal Injustice, Isis Misdary

Nevada Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Deputization And Privileged White Violence, Ekow N. Yankah

Articles

A number of high-profile and racially charged killings, such as Trayvon Martin’s, Kenneth Herring’s, Ahmaud Arbery’s, and Jordan Neely’s, have been at the hands of civilians declaring themselves the law. These deaths stemmed from a phenomenon best described as “deputization.” Deputization describes a latent legal power that has empowered White people throughout American history to claim authority to enforce the law, as they see it, upon racial minorities generally and Black people in particular. This power turned the ancient common law duty to police all felons in England into a specific American common law duty to police Blacks. From the …

Neurocriminology: Revolutionizing Specialized Training For Criminal Justice System Professionals, Janina Cich

Forensic Scholars Today

No abstract provided.