NCJ Number
183237
Journal
Justice Quarterly Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2000 Pages: 281-307
Date Published
June 2000
Length
27 pages
Annotation
This study examines how victims’ conduct and victims’ demographic characteristics affect the disposition of murder cases at various stages of the criminal justice process.
Abstract
Victims’ age and past conduct did not significantly influence legal outcomes in murder cases, but their race, gender, and conduct at the time of the incident did. Although these effects varied across the criminal justice decision making stages considered, they generally were consistent with the claim that killings of disreputable or stigmatized victims tend to be treated more leniently. This claim is based on two underlying processes: (1) Disreputable or stigmatized victims are more likely to be considered blameworthy, and this blame should detract from the blame attributed to the offender; and (2) Offenders who kill disreputable or stigmatized victims are perceived as having committed less harm. There was some evidence that the effects of victim characteristics were stronger in jury proceedings than in bench proceedings, and that the influence of a victim’s race on the disposition of murder cases was conditioned by the racial composition of the county in which the case was processed. Notes, tables, references