The effects of defendant race, victim race, and juror gender on evidence processing in a murder trial

Abstract

The effects of defendant race, victim race, and juror gender on sentencing and information processing were examined within the context of a murder trial. A sample consisting of 96, jury eligible White Australians read one of four versions of a real trial transcript, in which the race of a male defendant and female victim were varied. The participants imposed the severest sentences on the Indigenous (Black) defendant. Jurors were most lenient with White defendants who killed a White victim. Female jurors were more punitive than the males toward the Indigenous defendant. Jurors processed evidence systematically in same-race trials, but used both systematic and heuristic processing in mixed-race trials. In these instances, female jurors employed significantly more emotive responses, especially when the victim was Black. The effects of subtle racism and the black processing effect when the victim was non-White are considered.

Life Without Parole: The Influence of Age and Race on the Sentencing of Juvenile Offenders

“…While the race of a victim has been shown to influence sentencing decisions, the current study demonstrates that even with the absence of victim race, African American defendants are significantly more likely to receive more severe sentences. Consistent with previous research, the current study found that participants sentenced Caucasian defendants to less severe alternatives to life without parole (ForsterLee, ForsterLee, Horowitz, and King, 2006;Jordan & Freiburg, 2010;Steffensmeier et al, 1988;Steffensmeier & Demuth, 2006). When charged with the same crime, African American defendants were significantly more likely to receive a sentence of life without parole whereas Caucasian defendants were significantly more likely to be sentenced to 25 years to life.…”

“…Moreover, African American defendants convicted of murdering a Caucasian individual are significantly more likely to receive the harshest sentence available compared to any other offender (ForsterLee, ForsterLee, Horowitz, and King, 2006;Steffensmeier et al, 1988;Steffensmeier & Demuth, 2006). While the race of a victim has been shown to influence sentencing decisions, the current study demonstrates that even with the absence of victim race, African American defendants are significantly more likely to receive more severe sentences.…”

Tribunal del Jurado: Efectos de la Participación en el Cambio de Opinión y Conocimiento de sus Miembros

“…Fitzgerald, 2000;Higgins, Heath, Grannemann, 2007;Newcombre y Bransgrove, 2007), la raza (e.g. Abshire y Bornstein, 2003;Brewer, 2004;Force, 2008;ForsterLee, ForsterLee, Horowitz y King, 2006;Sommers y Ellsworth, 2009), la religión (Miller y Bornstein, 2006), el anonimato (e.g. Hazelwood y Brigham, 1998) y la influencia social (Marcus, Lyons y Guyton, 2000), la ideología políti-ca (e. g Najdowski, 2010; Shaw y Skolnick, 2005), y la personalidad (Shetowsky y Horowitz, 2004) de los miembros del jurado entre otras.…”

“…Antonio, 2006;Brewer 2004, Forsterlee et al, 2006Mitchell, Haw, Pfeifer, Meissner, 2005) como el sexo (Green, 1961;Mit-chell et.al, 2005;Nagel, 1969), , el estatus socioeconómico (Force, 2008;Rose, Ellison y Diamond, 2008) y la reincidencia (Kalven y Zeisel, 1966, Hogarth, 1971, sin olvidar los estudios sobre la declaración de la víc-tima y características de la misma (Bottoms, Diviak, y Davis 1997;Schuller y Rzepa, 2002;Semmler y Brewer, 2002). En cuanto a las características referentes al proceso de deliberación una de las áreas más estudiadas es la del efecto de los testigos expertos en el proceso de toma de decisión y el procesamiento de dicha información experta (e.g.…”

“…Bright y GoodmanDelahunty, 2006;Finkelman, 2010;Krauss, Lieberman y Olson, 2004), los sesgos en la interpretación de la evidencia y testimonio experto (Carlson y Russo, 2001;Smith y Greene, 2005) y por último, el proceso de la toma de decisión del jurado (e.g. Antonio, 2006;Fitzgerald, 2000;ForsterLee et al, 2006;Louden y Skeem, 2007).…”