Unpacking gender and racial/ethnic biases in the federal sentencing of drug offenders: A causal mediation approach

Reducing extra-legal disparity requires evaluating decisions of actors at different decision points. Abatement of gender disparities necessitates a primary focus on judges, but some attention to prosecutorial decisions is still warranted. Addressing race/ethnic differences in sentence length requires focus on both the decisions prosecutors make in granting departures and the ultimate sentence that judges decide to levy against the defendant.