NCJ Number
70479
Date Published
1976
Length
94 pages
Annotation
A study of responses from 52 juvenile judges to a hypothetical case demonstrated that participants tended to favor attractive juvenile offenders and discriminate against those that were unattractive.
Abstract
A review of the literature on physical attractiveness begins with studies on the influence of this variable on romantic relationships and criteria used in judgments of attractiveness. Research on helping behavior and leniency in the courtroom is also summarized to illustrate the impact of physical attractiveness on interpersonal behavior. This study explored the attractiveness-leniency effect in juvenile courts and considered the mediating influences of attributed responsibility for behavior and perceived seriousness of offense on these biases. A sample of 52 juvenile judges attending a national conference in 1975 agreed to participate in the survey. A total of 10 case descriptions of an offense committed by a white male juvenile were prepared by crossing 2 levels of offense seriousness--shoplifing and burglary and stealing--with 4 photographs depicting high or low attractiveness and no photo. Each judge read one of the descriptions and made four responses on the questionnaire. Analysis of the data showed that attractive juveniles received less severe punishment recommendations than those who were not portrayed. Judges' perceptions of the seriousness of the offense, the likelihood of future offenses, and the offender's responsibibility for behavior were all dependent on physical attractiveness. Thus, in both serious and minor offenses judges were lenient with attractive juveniles in assessing criminal tendencies. Future research could consider the attitudes of all juvenile justice personnel or monitor a representative sample of actual juvenile cases going through court procedures. Forty five references are provided. The appendixes contain the materials used in the survey, including photographs.