For this assignment, make sure you post your initial response to all of the questions in the Discussion Area by the due date assigned.

To support your work, use your course and text readings and also use outside sources. As in all assignments, cite your sources in your work and provide references for the citations in APA format.

Start reviewing and responding to the postings of your classmates as early in the week as possible. Respond to at least two of your classmates. Participate in the discussion by asking a question, providing a statement of clarification, providing a point of view with a rationale, challenging an aspect of the discussion, or indicating a relationship between two or more lines of reasoning in the discussion. Complete your participation for this assignment by the end of the week.

Discrimination Based on Different Gender

How are minority women affected by sentencing guidelines? Are they more likely to receive a harsher sentence than non-minority women? Why or why not?

Do women judges show no significant leniency toward subjects of their own gender groups? Why or why not?

What differences do women judges and judges of color bring to the bench?

Men of particular color are more likely to receive longer prison sentences than their counterparts of other color.

Does evidence of racial disparity in sentencing really exist?

Are racial disparities in sentencing always the result of racial discrimination? Why or why not?

Do sentencing guidelines increase racial disparity in sentencing?

Should judges be allowed to consider special circumstances such as marital status, employment status and education when sentencing defendants?

Is the cocaine sentencing law discriminatory? If so what type of discrimination is this? If not, be able to support your answer with examples and references to your readings.

To what degree does the moral panic theory explain the development of cocaine sentencing laws? Explain your answer.