Yes, different sentencing would make an effect, though obviously you would need to control somehow for prior convictions and the probability of re-offending, wh

Yes, different sentencing would make an effect, though obviously you would need to control somehow for prior convictions and the probability of re-offending, which sounds difficult. You'd also need to compare inside a state, since states can have quite different sentencing laws. For example, in California the sexual assault of an unconscious person has either a one year or two year max sentence. Whereas in South Carolina it has ten year max sentence.