Crime and Variations in Punishment “We already know crime is unevenly distributed in Milwaukee County, and that factors associated with high crime rates include high unemployment, high rates of poverty, and high rates of low birth-weight babies,” Freiburger says. “We want to uncover variables other than race and gender associated with the punishment of those crimes.We’re examining various Milwaukee communities to see if any factors appear to increase or decrease a convicted person’s length of sentence.”
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ina Freiburger’s research is shedding light on sentencing disparities within the U.S. legal system. “Overall, when it comes to punishment for the same crime, black males are treated the most harshly, black females the least harshly,” says Frieburger, an assistant professor in the Criminal Justice Department. While at UWM, Freiburger’s research has been conducted in undisclosed urban areas in Michigan and Pennsylvania. All studies control for offense severity, prior record, offense type (whether it’s a property, drug or personal crime) and method of conviction (whether the defendant plead guilty or went to trial). Now, she is turning her attention to Milwaukee County, where she is researching whether a crime’s geographic location factors into sentencing. The study is being conducted in partnership with the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office. “We already know crime is unevenly distributed in the county, and that factors associated with high crime rates include high unemployment, high rates
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