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Analyzes felony sanctions in PA before & after the adoption of criminal sentencing guidelines in 1982 to evaluate the long-term effects of these guidelines on racial inequalities in prison sentences. Ordinary least-squares multiple regression is used to analyze the influence of defendants' race on length of imprisonment, controlling for legally relevant variables & demographic factors. To assess long-term effects, separate regression models were estimated for preguideline sentences in 1977 & postguideline sentences during 1983, 1992, & 1993. Analysis demonstrates that, during the first year of implementation, PA's sentencing guidelines did not negate the direct effect of defendants' race on length of felony prison sentences. By 1992, however, racial disparity in felony prison terms had been reduced to a negligible amount despite a considerable increase in the average length of imprisonment visited on convicted felons. This outcome was achieved with relatively little intrusion into the decision-making discretion of felony court judges. It is concluded that sentencing guidelines that constrain only minimum sentencing decisions are an effective tool for eliminating racial disparity in felony prison sentences despite substantial increases in the average length of imprisonment imposed against felony defendants. 4 Tables, 24 References. Adapted from the source document.