Article
Inequality in the Legal Order: Some Further Analysis and Commentary
Social Problems
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1981
Disciplines
Abstract
I challenge David Jacobs' support for the conflict model of the legal order, finding serious limitations in his cross-sectional test of the model. To avoid these limitations and to extend the scope of Jacobs' study, I (1) apply his model to four additional crimes against persons and property; (2 ) examine race as an additional dimension of social inequality; and (3) consider how levels of crime might influence imprisonment ratios, a factor Jacobs ignored. I find no support for the hypothesis that race is a significant determinant of state imprisonment practices. Nor do I find income inequality a significant factor in imprisonment for crimes against persons and property, except in the case of larceny.
DOI
10.1525/sp.1981.29.1.03a00040
Version
Postprint
Publisher's Statement
Published as Bailey, William C. 1981. "Inequality in the Legal Order - Some Further Analysis and Commentary." Social Problems 29(1):51-60. © 1981 by the Regents of the University of California. Copying and permissions notice: Authorization to copy this content beyond fair use (as specified in Sections 107 and 108 of the U. S. Copyright Law) for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the Regents of the University of California for libraries and other users, provided that they are registered with and pay the specified fee via Rightslink® on JSTOR (http://www.jstor.org/r/ucal) or directly with the Copyright Clearance Center, http://www.copyright.com.
Citation Information
Bailey, William C. 1981. "Inequality in the Legal Order: Some Further Analysis and Commentary." Social Problems 29(1):51-60.