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Cited by 113Criminal Justice and Corrections AnalysisTorture, Ethics, and LawCriminal Law and Policy

White female victims and death penalty disparity research

Open access
Holcomb, Jefferson E., Williams, Marian R., Demuth, Stephen·2004·Justice Quarterly
DOI 10.1080/07418820400096021
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Abstract

Empirical studies of the death penalty continue to find that the race and gender of homicide victims are associated with the severity of legal responses in homicide cases even after controlling for legally relevant factors. A limitation of this research, however, is that victim race and gender are examined as distinct and independent factors in statistical models. In this study, we explore whether the independent examination of victim race and gender masks important differences in legal responses to homicides. In particular, we empirically test the hypothesis that defendants convicted of killing white females are significantly more likely to receive death sentences than killers of victims with other race-gender characteristics. Findings indicate that homicides with white female victims were more likely to result in death sentences than other victim race-gender dyads. We posit that this response may be unique and result in differential sentencing outcomes.

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  • Offenders are punished more severely when their victims are women than when their victims are men.

    “Research on the criminal justice system shows that offenders are punished more severely when their victims are women than when their victims are men”

    From Rape or Homicide: Which Is Worse? (2024) · cites this paper as Holcomb et al., 2004

    The Victim Demographics section says homicide and death-penalty research consistently finds more severe treatment of cases with female victims, but cautions that responses vary by type of crime. The Results and Discussion section finds higher odds of a death sentence for homicides with female rather than male victims. These passages support the claim for homicide and capital sentencing, not for punishment across the criminal justice system generally. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 4

  1. [3]3. Baldus, D. C., & Woodworth, G. (1998). Race discrimination and the death penalty: An empirical and legal overview. In J. R. Acker, R. M. Bohm, & C. S. Lanier (Eds.), America's experiment with capital punishment (pp. 385-416). Durham: Carolina Academic Press.
  2. [36]36. Pierce, G. L., & Radelet, M. L. (2002). Race, region, and death sentencing in Illinois, 1988- 1997. Oregon Law Review, 81, 39-96.
  3. [38]38. Radelet, M., & Pierce, G. (1991). Choosing who will die: Race and the death penalty in Florida. Florida Law Review, 43, 1-34.
  4. [40]40. Schwartz, M. D., & Milovanovic, D. (Eds.) (1996). Race, gender, and class in criminology. New York: Garland.

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Authors
Holcomb, J. E., Williams, M. R., & Demuth, S.
Affiliations
Bowling Green State University (US)
Corresponding author
Holcomb, Jefferson E.
ORCID
Holcomb, Jefferson E.
Venue
Justice Quarterly
Publisher
Informa UK Limited
Published
2004-12-01
Volume
21
Issue
4
Pages
877-902
ISSN
  • 0741-8825 (ISSN-L)
  • 1745-9109
DOI
10.1080/07418820400096021
OpenAlex
W2088647294
Cited by
113
References
55
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 3
FWCI
11.35
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Justice Quarterly (publishedVersion)
  • NC Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship (The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Torture, Ethics, and Law
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Law and Policy
Keywords
death penalty, homicide, victim race, victim gender, racial disparities, gender disparities, sentencing, gender and race intersection

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