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Full-Text Articles in Law and Psychology
Pressing The Verdict: The Social Influence Of Pretrial Publicity On Juror Biases, Kara Cato
Pressing The Verdict: The Social Influence Of Pretrial Publicity On Juror Biases, Kara Cato
CMC Senior Theses
Past psychological research has indicated that pretrial publicity has a significant impact on jury decision-making (Shniderman, 2013). This current review aims to expand on past research by investigating the social influence of pretrial publicity on juror biases. The effects of pretrial publicity on juror biases are examined through three mechanisms of social influence: story model, predecisional distortion, and conformity prejudice. This research inspects the relationship between media and the law by reviewing the pervasiveness of the media's depiction of criminal cases, the changing nature of media, and the biasing effects of media exposure. In addition, it explores the different forms …
Considering Parental Alienation When Assessing Best Interest Of The Child, Danielle Stewart
Considering Parental Alienation When Assessing Best Interest Of The Child, Danielle Stewart
CMC Senior Theses
As the divorce rate in the United States remains steady at 50%, the last few decades have shown an increase in child custody disputes. Within these litigations, interparental conflict can reach high levels and incite behaviors that wreak havoc on the children who are caught in the middle. When considering custody arrangements, judges and other evaluators use the Best Interest of the Child Standard (BICS), a jurisdictionally-specific framework that examines several factors that contribute to a child’s health and well-being. Parents who allow their resentments to get the better of them sometimes engage in behavior that encourages their child to …
The Effects Of Expert Testimony In Sexual Assault Trials, Lillybelle K. Deer
The Effects Of Expert Testimony In Sexual Assault Trials, Lillybelle K. Deer
CMC Senior Theses
Recently, expert testimony in sexual assault trials shifted from an emphasis on Rape Trauma Syndrome (RTS) to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and experts have tied these diagnoses either loosely or tightly to the victim’s condition following sexual assault. In the current study, 326 jury-eligible adults completed a survey on Amazon Mechanical Turk in which they read a synopsis of a sexual assault trial and an expert testimony with either RTS, PTSD or neither; along with either no, loose, or tight links made between the diagnosis and the victim’s condition. There was no main effect of diagnosis label but testimony linkage …