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discretionary justice  

Definition

  • In the modern era of criminal justice research, scholars have focused much attention on understanding how the personal choices of criminal justice professionals affect the processing of individuals through the justice system. Police, prosecutors, and judges all make decisions about how cases should be handled, and these decisions can result in different outcomes for individuals who are engaged in similar behavior. [Source: Encyclopedia of Crime and Punishment; Discretionary Justice]

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https://concepts.sagepub.com/social-science/concept/discretionary_justice

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