Lee Publishes Research on Defense Attorneys and Guilty Plea Process
Jacqueline Lee, associate professor and interim research director in the School of Public Service, has published a paper on the influence of defense attorney characteristics on the guilty plea process.
The study, co-authored with two others, used artificially generated attorney photos to examine how factors such as race, sex, and public or private practice affect the process. Participants rated the attorneys' appearance and quality, with surprising results:
Black and female attorneys were rated more highly than white and male attorneys.
Furthermore, participants who were shown Black and female attorneys were more likely to accept a plea offer, contrary to the researchers' initial expectations.
Author's summary: Research explores defense attorney influence on guilty pleas.