NCJ Number
129544
Journal
Behavioral Sciences and the Law Volume: 9 Issue: 1 Dated: (Winter 1991) Pages: 97-106
Date Published
1991
Length
10 pages
Annotation
An archival study of 143 criminal trials which occurred over a two-year span in a State circuit court examined the effect of prior juror service on jury sentencing.
Abstract
Jurors, who were required to serve 30-day terms, sentenced defendants within guidelines established by the trial judges. The severity of sentences imposed by jurors was rated by 101 subjects on a scale of 1 to 100. According to the results, more experienced jurors, who had participated either in criminal or civil court proceedings, passed significantly more severe sentences than did less experienced jurors. The degree of sentence severity or leniency would vary by the number of experienced or inexperienced jurors on a particular panel. The authors speculate that experienced jurors impose more severe sentences because of their repeated interactions with the same judges and prosecutors and their skepticism toward the possibility of a defendant's innocence. 4 tables and 30 references (Author abstract modified)