Studies of the Relationship Between Class Status and Sentencing Outcomes

question 9

Multiple Choice

Studies of the relationship between class status and sentencing outcomes in white collar crime cases have shown that:

• A) higher-status white collar offenders receive more severe sentences than lower-status white collar offenders
• B) lower-status white collar offenders receive more severe sentences than higher-status white collar offenders
• C) higher-status offenders appear to receive more severe sentences than lower-status offenders, but only according to some studies
• D) class status seems to have nothing whatsoever to do with sentencing outcomes

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Definitions:

Franklin Pierce

14th President of the United States, serving from 1853 to 1857, known for his pro-southern policies prior to the Civil War.

Hawai'i

A U.S. state located in the Pacific Ocean, recognized for its diverse natural scenery, warm tropical climate, and as a host of a unique Polynesian culture.

Slave Power

A term used to describe the perceived political and economic control that slaveholders had in the United States government before the Civil War.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

An 1854 legislation that created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, leaving the decision about slavery to be determined by popular sovereignty, leading to violent conflict in the region.