Get 20M+ Full-Text Papers For Less Than $1.50/day. Start a 14-Day Trial for You or Your Team.

Learn More →

Juror Background Characteristics and Attitudes Toward Rape: Correlates of Jurors’ Decisions in Rape Trials

Juror Background Characteristics and Attitudes Toward Rape: Correlates of Jurors’ Decisions in... Although numerous writers have discussed the importance of and link between juror characteristics and juror decisions in rape trials, an empirical investigation of the relationships between these characteristics and juror verdicts has not been made. Using data obtained from a sample of 896 citizens serving as mock jurors, the principal focus of the present research was on the correlations of jurors’ background characteristics and their attitudes toward rape with their decisions in a simulated rape case. Results of the study showed that the jurors’ background and attitudinal variables were associated with their decisions. In addition, the pattern of the correlations was quite stable as the characteristics of the case evaluated (in terms of defendant and victim race, victim physical attractiveness, victim sexual experience, strength of evidence presented, and type of rape committed) were found to have only negligible effects on these relationships. Other tests showed that only the attitudinal variables accounted for differences in the jurors’ decisions after characteristics of the case had been considered. Further, as compared to background data, the jurors’ views of rape were the most important predictor of their decisions. Implications of the role of jurors’ views of rape in jurors’ decisions in rape trials and the use of rape attitudes for selecting jury members in rape cases are discussed. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Law and Human Behavior American Psychological Association

Juror Background Characteristics and Attitudes Toward Rape: Correlates of Jurors’ Decisions in Rape Trials

Feild, Hubert S.
Law and Human Behavior , Volume 2 (2): 21 – Jun 1, 1978
Download PDF
21 pages

Loading next page...
 
/lp/american-psychological-association/juror-background-characteristics-and-attitudes-toward-rape-correlates-EgKvyOURlY

References (68)

Publisher
American Psychological Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1978 American Psychological Association
ISSN
0147-7307
eISSN
1573-661X
DOI
10.1007/BF01040385
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Although numerous writers have discussed the importance of and link between juror characteristics and juror decisions in rape trials, an empirical investigation of the relationships between these characteristics and juror verdicts has not been made. Using data obtained from a sample of 896 citizens serving as mock jurors, the principal focus of the present research was on the correlations of jurors’ background characteristics and their attitudes toward rape with their decisions in a simulated rape case. Results of the study showed that the jurors’ background and attitudinal variables were associated with their decisions. In addition, the pattern of the correlations was quite stable as the characteristics of the case evaluated (in terms of defendant and victim race, victim physical attractiveness, victim sexual experience, strength of evidence presented, and type of rape committed) were found to have only negligible effects on these relationships. Other tests showed that only the attitudinal variables accounted for differences in the jurors’ decisions after characteristics of the case had been considered. Further, as compared to background data, the jurors’ views of rape were the most important predictor of their decisions. Implications of the role of jurors’ views of rape in jurors’ decisions in rape trials and the use of rape attitudes for selecting jury members in rape cases are discussed.

Journal

Law and Human Behavior – American Psychological Association

Published: Jun 1, 1978

There are no references for this article.