Toward a general theory of stereotypes: Examining the interactive effects of gender, race/ethnicity, type of crime, economic dependency statuses, and familial statuses on length of sentence.

摘要

This study used self-report data, obtained in a study funded by the Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drug Abuse and carried out by researchers at Texas A&M University, to examine the interactive effects of gender, race/ethnicity, type of crime, economic dependency statuses and familial statuses on the length of sentence handed down to those offenders sentenced for felony drug and property offenses, in the state of Texas. More specifically, it asked if popular racial and gender stereotypes operate to produce differential meanings of these various statuses and how they operate to influence sentencing of offenders. Drawing from the insights of black feminist theorists and critical race scholars a general theory of stereotypes was proposed and partially tested using these data. The findings offered support of the proposed theory of stereotypes. Thus, suggesting that more research is needed in this area, in order to determine what factors interact to result in discriminatory treatment of offenders in the criminal justice system.