A judge's choice between consecutive and concurrent sentences can add years to a defendant's incarceration. Using Cuyahoga County sentencing data, I look at how frequently judges make that choice and how much their behavior varies. Even after restricting the analysis to very similar cases, some judges impose consecutive sentences dramatically more often than others. This lightning talk shows how a simple pattern in the data can open the door to deeper questions about consistency, discretion, and decision-making in the courts.
