NCJ Number
103825
Journal
Social Action and the Law Volume: 12 Issue: 2 Dated: (1986) Pages: 41-48
Date Published
1986
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examines what criteria are most important to jurors in determining a verdict and whether these criteria vary among jurors who vote guilty and those who vote not guilty.
Abstract
One study hypothesis is that legal factors are perceived by jurors as more important than extralegal factors in their decisionmaking. The second hypothesis is that decisionmaking criteria (legal and extralegal factors) do not vary in importance among jurors voting guilty or not guilty in a criminal trial. The sample (158) consisted of University of Arizona undergraduate students enrolled in a basic course in speech communication. There were 83 males and 63 females (12 persons did not indicate gender). Subjects viewed an 80-minute vidotaped trial staged by law students enrolled in an applied course in trial advocacy. The charge was first-degree murder. At the conclusion of the tape, subjects completed a questionnaire which asked subjects to indicate their verdict and to rank order several criteria according to their relative importance in the decisionmaking. Criteria were attorneys' personal appearance and speaking manner, direct examination, cross examination, opening statements, closing arguments, use of objections, use of exhibits, and judge's instructions to the jury. Both hypotheses were confirmed by the data. 5 data tables, 32 references, and appended methodological details.