One important finding shown was that males are more likely to be incarcerated and to receive lengthier sentences, but thats males have a higher offense severity scores on average than females (r= .1.1) as well as lengthier records of offending (Steffensmeier 420). What one can draw from this is that the severity of offense and prior criminal record has a much stronger relationship than gender factors. The study also looked at the length of sentencing between men and women. They found that still; the severity of the offense played a major role. Two variables together contribute 36% to explained variation, net of all the other variables, or roughly 82% of total (Steffensmeier). This shows that severity and prior offenses are most influential in determining how long a persons sentence is. The study shows that the defendants gender on accounts for a small fraction of a percent (.0002) of the variation after other variables are controlled, so that is plays a very small role in decisions about sentence length (Steffensmeier). In all actuality, on average males receive about a 1.6 month shorter sentencing than females, which does not support the notion that females get more leniencies. .
Another factor in this dilemma is the idea that judges have sympathy for females, resulting in lighter sentences. This proves untrue. In various interviews, it has been found that judges in fact tend to give females longer sentences because they are hesitant to send them to county jails, and would much rather sentence them in state facilities. A lot of judges feel as though state facilities give more space for females and provide them with a better staff and environment. Obviously it seems as though judges favor males more, but it can be argued that judges are still in favor of women because they prefer to incarcerate them in a less harsh environment. Rodriguez, Curry and Lee also presented an important study that took a look whether gender played a role in the type of crime committed.
