NCJ Number
53201
Journal
Law and Human Behavior Volume: 2 Issue: 1 Dated: (1978) Pages: 63-71
Date Published
1978
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER JURORS ARE INFLUENCED BY A DEFENDANT'S DRESS (JAIL CLOTHES OR CONVENTIONAL CLOTHES) AND SUPERVISION (ARMED GUARD OR NO SUPERVISION) DURING TRIAL IS EXPLORED IN TWO EXPERIMENTS.
Abstract
STUDY SUBJECTS WERE 68 COLLEGE STUDENTS AND 79 VOLUNTEERS DRAWN RANDOMLY FROM VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS. THE SUBJECTS WATCHED A VIDEO TAPED REENACTMENT OF A CRIMINAL TRIAL IN WHICH THE VARIABLES WERE THE DEFENDANT'S DRESS AND SUPERVISION. THE SUBJECTS THEN JUDGED THE DEFENDANT'S GUILT, RECOMMENDED A SENTENCE, AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR IMPRESSIONS OF THE DEFENDANT. IN BOTH STUDIES, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT BIAS AGAINST THE DEFENDANT IN INSTITUTIONAL DRESS WITH NO SUPERVISION. BOTH GROUPS OF SUBJECTS WERE LENIENT IN THEIR JUDGMENTS OF GUILT AND SENTENCING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DEFENDANT IN INSTITUTIONAL CLOTHING UNDER ARMED GUARD. POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS OF THE FINDINGS--JURORS' SYMPATHY FOR CERTAIN DEFENDANTS, PERCEPTIONS OF PRIOR SUFFERING, DESIRE TO REMOVE PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY BY CONTINUING RATHER THAN ALTERING THE DEFENDANT'S STATUS--ARE EXPLORED. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS ARE DISCUSSED, INCLUDING THE POSSIBILITY THAT DEFENSE COUNSEL SHOULD BE CAUTIOUS IN ATTEMPTING TO WIN SYMPATHY FOR CLIENTS BY INSISTING THAT THEY STAND TRIAL IN PRISON GARB. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH ARE OFFERED. SUPPORTING DATA AND A LIST OF REFERENCES ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)