Criminal Processing and Courtroom Construction of Infanticidal Parents

这个博士论文改进项目系统地探讨了关于性别在刑事处理和父母犯下的儿童袭击和杀人案的社会法律解释中的作用的问题和假设。对数量和质量数据的分析确定了对这些罪行的处理是否不分性别，对妇女较宽大还是对男子较宽大。本研究分为两个密切相关的子项目。第一个项目分析了由一个大城市司法管辖区的地区检察官办公室起诉的为期两年的儿童袭击和杀人案样本的数据。回归和逻辑回归统计技术将用于测试在辩诉交易和量刑方面是否存在性别差异，控制法律和社会人口因素。第二个项目分析来自法庭观察、访谈和审判记录的数据，以确定被指控殴打和（或）杀害子女的父母的社会结构。这两个项目都考察了性别、阶级和种族的文化先入之见在多大程度上进入法律程序和话语。这项研究有助于关于正义和性别的辩论。定量研究的结果将加强现有关于刑事妇女法律待遇的研究，证明在与性别角色密切相关的犯罪处理结果中是否存在性别差异。定性研究的结果探讨了法律话语围绕性别类别组织的程度。通过评估关于在法律下“平等”或“不同”对待妇女的辩论中的关键问题，这项研究将有助于更清楚地了解正式法律程序与有关各方的社会特征之间的关系。

This Doctoral Dissertation Improvement project systematically explores questions and hypotheses regarding the role of gender in the criminal processing and socio-legal interpretation of child assaults and homicides committed by parents. Analyses of both quantitative and qualitative data ascertain whether the treatment of these offenses is gender-neutral, more lenient for women or more lenient for men. The study is partitioned into two closely related sub-projects. The first project analyzes data from a two-year sample of child assaults and homicides prosecuted by the District Attorneys Office of a large urban jurisdiction. Regression and logistic regression statistical techniques will be used to test whether there are gender differences in plea-bargaining and sentencing, controlling for legal and socio-demographic factors. The second project analyzes data from courtroom observations, interviews and trial transcripts to ascertain the social constructions of mother and fathers accused of assaulting and/or killing their children. Both projects examine the extent to which cultural preconceptions of gender, class and race enter into legal processes and discourses.This research contributes to debates about justice and gender. Outcomes from the quantitative research will enhance existing research on the legal treatment of criminal women, demonstrating whether there are gender differences in the processing outcomes of crimes closely tied to gender roles. Results from the qualitative research explore the degree to which legal discourses are organized around gender categories. By assessing pivotal issues in the debates regarding "equal" or "different" treatment of women under the law, this research will assist in providing a clearer understanding of the relationship between formal legal processes and the social characteristics of the parties involved.