NCJ Number
159199
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 19 Issue: 6 Dated: (December 1995) Pages: 545-567
Date Published
1995
Length
23 pages
Annotation
Two studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that similarity of jurors and defendants would lead to greater leniency toward a criminal defendant when the evidence against the defendant was weak or inconclusive and to less leniency when the evidence was strong.
Abstract
The first study focused on religious similarity. Participants were 66 male college students who were either devoted Christians or Jews. They read brief summaries of cases and judges' instructions in cases involving child molestation. Results revealed that religious similarity was simply and positively related to the evaluation of the defendant and leniency and was unaffected by the strength of the evidence. This pattern of results was attributed to insufficiently strong evidence against the defendant and the lack of anticipated jury deliberation. The second study addressed these problems and focused on race. Participants were 52 male and 116 female college students in the Detroit area. The cases also involved child molestation. Results revealed that when evidence was strong against the defendant, racial similarity between the juror and the defendant increased the likelihood of conviction, but only when jurors anticipated being in the racial minority in their jury. Findings suggested the need for attorneys to be cautious about applying the similarity-leniency rule to jury section in all trials. Figures, table, and 100 references (Author abstract modified)