Assistant Professor Dr. Luis C. Torres and fourth-year doctoral student Sarah D. Jones, recently had their work published in Criminal Justice and Behavior, a highly regarded journal in the field. Using observational data from a virtual pretrial courtroom, they examine the effects of defense counsel type on defendant intervention attempts and the impact of attempts on pretrial decisions.

They found that intervention attempts were more prevalent among defendants represented by public defenders than by private counsel, and defendants were frequently silenced or ignored (in about 38% of cases). Findings also indicate that interventions are associated with an increased likelihood of detention. The study highlights the importance of using observational data to gain a more nuanced understanding of pretrial courts, defendant behaviors, and punishment.