EFFECT OF AN ESCAPED ACCOMPLICE ON THE PUNISHMENT ASSIGNED TO A CRIMINAL DEFENDANT

• NCJ Number: 35308
• Journal: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Volume: 33 Issue: 2 Dated: (1976) Pages: 192-198
• Author(s): W DEJONG; A H HASTORF; W N MORRIS
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: American Psychological Assoc
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: REPRINT

Annotation

A REPORT ON RESEARCH TO DETERMINE WHETHER JURORS' DECISIONS ARE AFFECTED BY THE FATE OF A CRIMINAL'S ACCOMPLICE.

Abstract

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FOUR SUBJECTS READ DESCRIPTIONS OF FICTITIOUS CRIMINAL CASES AND THEN ASSIGNED PUNISHMENT TO THE DEFENDANT. THERE WERE EIGHT DIFFERENT CASES WHICH VARIED ALONG THREE DIMENSIONS- SEVERITY OF CRIME, RESPONSIBILITY OF THE DEFENDANT, AND FATE OF THE DEFENDANT'S ACCOMPLICE. AS PREDICTED, A MAIN EFFECT FOR THE FATE OF ACCOMPLICE WAS FOUND, SUCH THAT SUBJECTS TENDED TO GIVE LESS PUNISHMENT TO THE DEFENDANT WHEN THE ACCOMPLICE ESCAPED. NO SUPPORT WAS FOUND FOR AN ALTERNATIVE HYPOTHESIS, WHICH PROPOSED THAT THE EFFECT OF THE ACCOMPLICE'S ESCAPE ON THE PUNISHMENT ASSIGNED WOULD DEPEND ON THE SEVERITY OF THE CRIME. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)