Sentencing Outcomes Between Public Defenders and Private Attorneys in Crawford County, Pennsylvania

Vukas, Andreas

Sentencing Outcomes Between Public Defenders and Private Attorneys in Crawford County, Pennsylvania

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10456/57615

Author(s)

Vukas, Andreas

Date Issued

April 8, 2024

Abstract

The legal system is something people get involved in if they commit a crime or have a civil dispute. Most of the time, people turn to other people who know more about the legal system than they do, and this profession is called an attorney. The two types of attorneys are those who work in private firms and those who work as public defenders. Studies have been conducted to see what type of attorney- private attorney or public defender- is better to help one escape criminal trouble. Using the principal-agent theory and data recorded from the district attorney’s office, this paper explains whether there is any correlation between private attorneys and public defenders when it comes to sentencing outcomes for felony defendants. The research for this project was studying the effect of private attorneys and public defenders on felony sentencing lengths in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The research showed no effect on the type of attorney used when being sentenced for a felony charge.

Major

Business

Honors

Business and Economics, 2024

First Reader(s)

Ormiston, Russell A.