Split Sentencing and the "Youth Discount" in Florida Criminal Courts

Prior research on the criminal court punishment of transferred youth relative to adult defendants has produced mixed findings; however, these disparities have not been examined in the context of intermediate and alternative sanctions. In Florida, judges have the discretion to assign a split sentence...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Lehmann, Peter S. (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Published: 2024
In: Crime & delinquency
Year: 2024, Volume: 70, Issue: 3, Pages: 1060-1086
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Keywords:
Disparity
intermediate punishments
juvenile transfer
Sentencing Guidelines
split sentencing
Description
Summary:Prior research on the criminal court punishment of transferred youth relative to adult defendants has produced mixed findings; however, these disparities have not been examined in the context of intermediate and alternative sanctions. In Florida, judges have the discretion to assign a split sentence, which involves a mitigated term of imprisonment followed by a sentence to community supervision. Using data on felony cases sentenced under Florida?s Criminal Punishment Code (N?=?704,977), these results provide evidence of a ?youth discount,? with juveniles more likely than adults to receive split sentences. However, this pattern is observed regardless of whether a prison sentence is recommended by the guidelines, that is, even among cases in which a split sentence represents an upward departure.
ISSN:1552-387X
DOI:10.1177/00111287221141967