LATITUDE AND SEVERITY OF SENTENCING OPTIONS, RACE OF THE VICTIM AND DECISIONS OF SIMULATED JURORS - SOME ISSUES ARISING FROM THE ALGIERS MOTEL TRIAL

• NCJ Number: 7471
• Journal: Law & Society Review Volume: 7 Issue: 1 Dated: (FALL 1972) Pages: 87-98
• Author(s): J KAPLAN; I SIMON
• Date Published: 1972
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: Law and Society Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

EXPERIMENT WHICH EXAMINED THE EFFECTS OF VARYING THE RACE OF THE VICTIM, THE STRENGTH OF THE EVIDENCE AGAINST THE DEFENDANT, AND SENTENCING ALTERNATIVES ON JUROR VERDICTS.

Abstract

A HYPOTHETICAL TRAFFIC FATALITY WAS PRESENTED TO A GROUP OF COLLEGE STUDENTS SERVING AS SIMULATED JURORS. THE RACE OF THE VICTIM HAD LITTLE EFFECT ON VERDICT BEHAVIOR OR ATTITUDINAL RESPONSES. WHEN THE EVIDENCE FOR GUILT WAS HIGH OR MIXED, THE PERCENTAGE OF INNOCENT VERDICTS IN A CHOICE BETWEEN ACQUITTAL AND CONVICTION FOR A SERIOUS OFFENSE WAS DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE SEVERITY OF THE SENTENCE FOR A FINDING OF GUILT. AS A GENERAL PATTERN, IT WAS FOUND THAT GIVING JURORS A GREATER NUMBER OF SENTENCING CHOICES RESULTED IN FEWER FINDINGS OF INNOCENCE.