Judicial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: How Do Diverse Judges Affect Sentencing Guidelines in the State of Minnesota

Author

Morgan Bausman

Date of Award

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Department

Political Science

First Advisor

Patrick Donnay

Abstract

Equal representation within the judicial system is very important. The state of Minnesota has four-hundred-forty-one judges, all different. When the legal system was created, the stereotypical judge was a white male. The legal system that represents the country should grow and diversify along with society. The issue of diversified judicial representation, with a focus on the race and gender of such judges, is a contentious debate across the country. Prior research has studied judges at the federal level and showed that diversity matters, but there have been no studies done at the state level, specifically in Minnesota. I gather data on the judges in Minnesota by Judicial District and the states sentencing guidelines. I use of different statistical tests to evaluate if there is a connection between the gender and/or race of a judge, what district they are practicing in, and if they rule above or below the sentencing guidelines of the state. Preliminary analysis shows correlation between the independent and dependent variables of the study. Initial conclusion is that gender and race do affect a judge’s decision on court cases.

Recommended Citation

Bausman, Morgan, "Judicial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: How Do Diverse Judges Affect Sentencing Guidelines in the State of Minnesota" (2023). Political Science Theses and Capstones. 8.
https://pines.bemidjistate.edu/capstone-polisci/8