Accountability, Quantification, and Law

Posted: 7 Dec 2007

See all articles by Wendy Espeland

Wendy Espeland

Northwestern University - Institute for Policy Research

Berit Irene Vannebo

Northwestern University

Abstract

Accountability can mean many things, but increasingly it is linked to quantification. This is true in many fields, including law. This review considers how the recent emphasis on quantitative accountability has influenced law and legal practices. Rather than offering a broad survey of quantitative techniques deployed in law, the article examines three legal contexts in which quantification has shaped how actors are held accountable: sentencing guidelines, cost-benefit analysis in regulation, and law school rankings. The conditions that promote rigorous quantification, its effects on professional discretion, relations of authority, and resistance are examined. The article suggests fruitful questions and strategies for analyzing more broadly the effects of quantification in law.

Keywords: quantitative authority, professional discretion, sentencing guidelines, regulatory impact assessment, law school rankings, accountability, quantification, law

Suggested Citation

Espeland, Wendy and Vannebo, Berit Irene, Accountability, Quantification, and Law. Annual Review of Law & Social Science, Vol. 3, December 2007, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1057001

Wendy Espeland (Contact Author)

Northwestern University - Institute for Policy Research ( email )

2003 Sheridan Rd
Evanston, IL 60208-2600
United States

Berit Irene Vannebo

Northwestern University ( email )

2001 Sheridan Road
Evanston, IL 60208
United States

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