Judicial treatment and pre-trial detention in a sample of arraignment hearings in Bogotá and Cali

Abstract

This study examines the correlates of judicial treatment and preliminary disposition of criminal cases in a random sample of cases in arraignment courts in Bogota and Cali (N = 330). We specify a set of multivariate models based on the direct observation of cases in these courts, including data on the behavior of judges, their decisions, and characteristics of suspects. We show variation in the treatment of suspects and their pre-trial detention status, related to "extra-legal" factors such as the type of defense and the racial or ethnic origin of suspects, as well as "legal" factors attached to the severity of the current offense and their prior criminal record.