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THE USE OF MANDATORY SENTENCING LEGISLATION AS SYMBOLIC STATEMENTS
Author(s) -
Nienstedt Barbara Cole
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
review of policy research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.832
H-Index - 45
eISSN - 1541-1338
pISSN - 1541-132X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1541-1338.1986.tb00645.x
Subject(s) - legislation , publicity , politics , political science , law , outrage , criminal justice , economic justice , the symbolic , state (computer science) , newspaper , criminology , sociology , psychology , computer science , algorithm , psychoanalysis
Mandatory sentencing legislation often results in laws which use provisions and set penalties in order to make strong symbolic and political statements. Thus, in addition to protecting society, they are powerful vehicles for expressing moral outrage. This is especially evident in mandatory sentencing for drug and alcohol offenses. The present research examines the consequences of that practice on one state's criminal justice system. Interviews with key actors along with examinations of official documents, newspaper publicity and media campaigns illustrate the political decisions and symbolic statements which pervade driving‐while‐intoxicated (DWI) legislation. The process is studied from before the lawls enactment through its subsequent outcome.