Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity
Introduction: Criminal convictions may be imperfect markers of criminalized behavior, in part because of criminal legal system processes (e.g., plea bargaining). In this retrospective cohort study of individuals convicted of misdemeanors, authors compared the risk of subsequent criminal charges for...
| Autores principales: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Formato: | Artículo |
| Lenguaje: | English |
| Publicado: |
Elsevier
2024-06-01
|
| Colección: | AJPM Focus |
| Materias: | |
| Acceso en línea: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065424000257 |
| _version_ | 1831875922852052992 |
|---|---|
| author | Julia P. Schleimer, MPH Miriam J. Haviland, PhD, MSPH Amy Gallagher, MPH Ayah Mustafa, BS Rachel Ross, MPH Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH Deirdre Bowen, JD, PhD Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, MD, PhD, MPH |
| author_facet | Julia P. Schleimer, MPH Miriam J. Haviland, PhD, MSPH Amy Gallagher, MPH Ayah Mustafa, BS Rachel Ross, MPH Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH Deirdre Bowen, JD, PhD Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, MD, PhD, MPH |
| author_sort | Julia P. Schleimer, MPH |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Criminal convictions may be imperfect markers of criminalized behavior, in part because of criminal legal system processes (e.g., plea bargaining). In this retrospective cohort study of individuals convicted of misdemeanors, authors compared the risk of subsequent criminal charges for a violent crime among those initially charged with a felony with that among those initially charged with only misdemeanors, overall and by defendant race and ethnicity. Methods: The study population included individuals aged ≥18 years who were convicted of a misdemeanor in Washington Superior Courts from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. Those with and without initial felony charges were age/gender matched in a 4:1 ratio. The primary outcome was the first subsequent violent crime charge in Washington Superior Courts through December 31, 2020. Data were analyzed with Fine–Gray hazard models from June 2022 to November 2023. Results: There were 3,841 individuals with initial felony charges and 956 with initial misdemeanor charges only. Median follow-up was 2.4 years for both groups. During follow-up, there were 166 new violent crime charges. In multivariable models, White defendants with initial felony charges had a greater risk of subsequent violent crime charges (subdistribution hazard ratio=2.58; 95% CI=1.24, 5.36) than White defendants with initial misdemeanor charges only. Among Black and Hispanic/Latinx defendants, initial felony versus misdemeanor charges were not associated with subsequent violent crime charges (subdistribution hazard ratio=0.93; 95% CI=0.44, 1.97 among Black defendants; subdistribution hazard ratio=0.49; 95% CI=0.15, 1.57 among Hispanic/Latinx defendants). Conclusions: Findings suggest differential associations between downgrading of felony charges to misdemeanor convictions and future violent crime charges by defendant race and ethnicity, with implications for inequitable collateral consequences of criminal convictions. |
| first_indexed | 2025-03-21T20:52:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ff2d4dba8174d25a2af7fae3a0c35df |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2773-0654 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-03-21T20:52:40Z |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | AJPM Focus |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ff2d4dba8174d25a2af7fae3a0c35df2024-05-31T05:44:38ZengElsevierAJPM Focus2773-06542024-06-0133100206Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and EthnicityJulia P. Schleimer, MPH0Miriam J. Haviland, PhD, MSPH1Amy Gallagher, MPH2Ayah Mustafa, BS3Rachel Ross, MPH4Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH5Deirdre Bowen, JD, PhD6Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, MD, PhD, MPH7Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Address correspondence to: Julia P. Schleimer, MPH, Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, 3980 15th Avenue Northeast, Seattle WA 98195.Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WashingtonFirearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WashingtonFirearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WashingtonFirearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WashingtonCalifornia Firearm Violence Research Center, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, California; Violence Prevention Research Program, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CaliforniaFirearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; School of Law, Seattle University, Seattle, WashingtonDepartment of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; Firearm Injury & Policy Research Program, University of Washington, Seattle, WashingtonIntroduction: Criminal convictions may be imperfect markers of criminalized behavior, in part because of criminal legal system processes (e.g., plea bargaining). In this retrospective cohort study of individuals convicted of misdemeanors, authors compared the risk of subsequent criminal charges for a violent crime among those initially charged with a felony with that among those initially charged with only misdemeanors, overall and by defendant race and ethnicity. Methods: The study population included individuals aged ≥18 years who were convicted of a misdemeanor in Washington Superior Courts from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. Those with and without initial felony charges were age/gender matched in a 4:1 ratio. The primary outcome was the first subsequent violent crime charge in Washington Superior Courts through December 31, 2020. Data were analyzed with Fine–Gray hazard models from June 2022 to November 2023. Results: There were 3,841 individuals with initial felony charges and 956 with initial misdemeanor charges only. Median follow-up was 2.4 years for both groups. During follow-up, there were 166 new violent crime charges. In multivariable models, White defendants with initial felony charges had a greater risk of subsequent violent crime charges (subdistribution hazard ratio=2.58; 95% CI=1.24, 5.36) than White defendants with initial misdemeanor charges only. Among Black and Hispanic/Latinx defendants, initial felony versus misdemeanor charges were not associated with subsequent violent crime charges (subdistribution hazard ratio=0.93; 95% CI=0.44, 1.97 among Black defendants; subdistribution hazard ratio=0.49; 95% CI=0.15, 1.57 among Hispanic/Latinx defendants). Conclusions: Findings suggest differential associations between downgrading of felony charges to misdemeanor convictions and future violent crime charges by defendant race and ethnicity, with implications for inequitable collateral consequences of criminal convictions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065424000257Racial disparitiescriminal justicefirearmsviolent crime |
| spellingShingle | Julia P. Schleimer, MPH Miriam J. Haviland, PhD, MSPH Amy Gallagher, MPH Ayah Mustafa, BS Rachel Ross, MPH Garen Wintemute, MD, MPH Deirdre Bowen, JD, PhD Ali Rowhani-Rahbar, MD, PhD, MPH Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity AJPM Focus Racial disparities criminal justice firearms violent crime |
| title | Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity |
| title_full | Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity |
| title_fullStr | Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity |
| title_short | Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity |
| title_sort | cohort study of downgraded misdemeanor convictions and subsequent violent crime differences by defendant race and ethnicity |
| topic | Racial disparities criminal justice firearms violent crime |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773065424000257 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT juliapschleimermph cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT miriamjhavilandphdmsph cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT amygallaghermph cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT ayahmustafabs cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT rachelrossmph cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT garenwintemutemdmph cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT deirdrebowenjdphd cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity AT alirowhanirahbarmdphdmph cohortstudyofdowngradedmisdemeanorconvictionsandsubsequentviolentcrimedifferencesbydefendantraceandethnicity |