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Two Ohio Judges Argue For Better Sentencing Data

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

In many states, including Ohio, our courts lack comprehensive data on criminal sentences. This leaves judges with no way to evaluate their sentences against similar cases saysOhio Supreme Court Justice Michael Donnelly and Hamilton County Court of Appeals Judge Pierre Bergeron, and it gives judges largely unrestrained sentencing power.

For states that are gathering statistics, Donnelly and Bergeron find racial disparities in sentencing. "People of color are vastly overrepresented in the criminal-justice system as defendants; they receive longer sentences than white defendants," Donnelly and Bergeron write in The Atlantic.

Donnelly and Bergeron argue that better sentencing data could lead to reform in our criminal justice system. They join Cincinnati Edition to discuss the need for states to establish a comprehensive criminal sentencing database.

Listen to Cincinnati Edition live at noon M-F. Audio for this segment will be uploaded after 4 p.m. ET.

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