A Profile of Indigent Defense and Presentencing Jail Time in Mississippi

This article profiles indigent defendants in Mississippi, focusing primarily on the time spent in jail before sentencing. Economic incentives suggest that presentencing jail time should vary according to the type of defense counsel. Empirical results indicate that overall presentencing jail time is affected by type of representation but not in the expected manner. Other factors, including personal demographic characteristics, type of crime, and demographic characteristics of the jurisdiction, also affect presentencing jail time. Future research should include a multivariate model to account for interaction between the explanatory variables.