CJUS 2132 – Module 7 Assignment
Specific Assignments: (two questions - 15 points total)
Instructions: Explain each, using good, grammatically correct paragraphs. Use our text
as your primary source, but you may also use others. Be sure to cite your sources in
APA format. Place your completed Module 7 Assignment in the drop box with the same
name.
1- Discuss the topics of sentencing disparity and sentencing discrimination. Are
they the same? Use two good paragraphs to explain. (10 pts.)
It is to my knowledge that sentencing disparity is a variety of inconsistent factors that
influence a judge's decision when sentencing an individual. For example, in a poor
county with many cases, a judge might decide to give a petty criminal a fine or make
them complete community service instead of making them serve time. A judge presiding
in an urban area with a low crime sense might sentence a criminal to a longer sentence
due to the lack of crimes in the area. Sentencing disparity doesn’t specifically define
what causes a judge to sentence different individuals with the same crimes to other
sentences.
On the other hand, sentencing discrimination is when a judge discriminates against
the defendant due to a certain aspect they may obtain. For example, a homeless man
robbing a woman of her purse and showing up in the courtroom smelling of filth might
upset the judge and cause the defendant to obtain a longer harsher sentence. Or even
a young black man being presented in front of an undercover racist judge who gives the
defendant a worse sentence just due to his skin color. Unlike sentencing disparity,
sentencing discrimination is a main focus and dislike that causes the judge to give
lighter or heavier sentences. Sentencing discrimination doesn't only apply to dislike and
heavy sentencing, it can also mean granting a white male a lighter sentence because
he is white.
2- Use a good paragraph to explain courts of last resort and how they form justice
policy. (5 pts.)
The courts of last resort are also known as the supreme court which reigns over all
other courts. They take in the worst cases which require the highest court to come up
with a sentencing as well as take in cases that have been trialed by lower courts. The
decision made by the court of last resort is final and contains legal supreme authority
which means the verdict is not likely to be overturned. The Supreme Court is ruled by
judges who are hand-selected by the president to serve the Supreme Court and any
policies must be presented to him for review before being instilled.