A recent study conducted by the Lehigh Valley Justice Institute found that the longer a defendant stays in jail prior to their trial, the harsher their sentence is likely to be.
In a press release, the institute shares information from the data analysis of three years worth of criminal cases in Lehigh and Northampton counties.
Defendants between 2017 and 2021 that saw longer stays in pretrial detention were more likely to face greater odds of prison sentences, with lower odds of shorter sentences and higher odds of sentences longer than the time recommended by state guidelines.
The study also found that Black individuals who faced longer pretrial detention were less likely to receive parole or other supervisory sentences than white individuals.
Overall, there was a 15% lower chance of supervisory sentences, an 8% lower chance of shorter sentences, and an 11% higher chance of a longer sentence for those who faced longer detention before trial.
Furthermore, the study found that 98% of the individuals examined were detained pretrial because of failure to post bail, demonstrating pretrial detention, which is often caused by poverty, increases the likelihood of more severe sentences.
The Lehigh Valley Justice Institute believes this study to be the first in the country to examine the link between the time spent in jail before trial and the ultimate sentence. Previous studies into this topic only examined whether an individual was incarcerated at all before trial, not the length of that incarceration. They say these findings are deeply troubling in terms of their implications for the criminal justice system.
