Digital Commons Network^™

Public Reasoning About Criminal Justice: The Role Of Victim, Offence, And Offender Characteristics And Victim-Offender Relationships. Public Reasoning About Criminal Justice: Effects Of Victim Age And Victim-Offender Relationship, Donald Foy

Theses : Honours

The formulation and amendment of legislation which forms the basis for the operation and administration of the Australian criminal justice system may be the role given to elected government officials but it is the citizens who elect them who bear ultimate responsibility. The way that members of the public reason about criminal justice issues therefore has the capacity to greatly influence decision making in this area. This paper will review some of the research which has attempted to explain the influence that several variables may have on the way that people reason about criminal justice. These research topics include fear …