Does the weather influence sentencing? Empirical evidence from Czech data

Purpose: Sentencing has been shown to be influenced by different extralegal factors. Following psychological research into the various effects the weather can have on mood and two studies claiming finding an influence of weather on sentencing, we examine the extent to which the weather may influence sentencing.

Methods: Using sentencing decisions from twelve district courts in Prague in the period 2011–2015 and multilevel modelling techniques, we explore the impact of temperature, wind speed, sunshine, precipitation, barometric pressure and humidity on the decision to incarcerate and the duration of non-suspended prison sentences.

Results: In line with the inconclusive findings in the psychological literature on weather and mood and contrary to previous two studies finding the link between weather and sentencing, we do not find that the weather has any substantial impact on sentencing decision making.

Conclusions: We conclude that no meaningful unwarranted disparities in sentencing are caused by the weather in Prague, Czech Republic.