Judges’ Gender and Sentencing in China: An Empirical Inquiry

Abstract

Although mixed results regarding judges’ gender disparity in sentencing have been uncovered globally by comparatists, China has yet to be considered. Based on documents of adjudication decisions collected from two cities, we examined district court judges’ sentencing decisions. Multilevel-multivariate analysis reveals negligible differences between male and female judges. We conclude that the similarities in the decision to incarcerate can be explained by the harmonious “Iron Triangle” relationship among the police, the procuratorate, and the court. We also indicate that the Sentencing Guidelines and the Adjudication Committee are mechanisms that shape judicial behaviors in the same direction.

Keywords

gender judge incarceration sentence length China

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