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Full-Text Articles in Psychology
Evaluating Evidence Of Childhood Abuse As A Function Of Expert Testimony, Judge’S Instructions, And Sentence Recommendation, Judith Platania, Fotine Konstantopoulou
Evaluating Evidence Of Childhood Abuse As A Function Of Expert Testimony, Judge’S Instructions, And Sentence Recommendation, Judith Platania, Fotine Konstantopoulou
Arts & Sciences Faculty Publications
In the current study we examined how jurors utilize evidence of childhood abuse as a function of expert testimony and sentence recommendation. We also varied the specificity of instructional language in the context of mitigating circumstances. We predicted jurors who impose a life sentence would rate evidence of childhood abuse as significantly more important in determining sentence compared to jurors who impose the death penalty. Furthermore, we expected this effect to be moderated by expert testimony. Testimony of childhood abuse increased importance ratings of non-statutory mitigating circumstances. This effect was more evident for jurors who imposed a life sentence compared …
Considering Constitutionally Relevant Evidence: An Assessment Of Childhood Physical Abuse As A Non-Statutory Mitigating Circumstance, Fotine Konstantopoulou
Considering Constitutionally Relevant Evidence: An Assessment Of Childhood Physical Abuse As A Non-Statutory Mitigating Circumstance, Fotine Konstantopoulou
Psychology Theses
The present study examines the role of a specific instruction designed to guide jurors on non-statutory mitigating circumstances in determining sentence recommendation. To date, there is no research examining whether specific instructions provide more guidance, and improve jurors’ discretion compared to the current general instructions. We predicted that specific mitigating instructions would increase confidence in life sentencing compared to generic instructions as well as revised instructions. We also predicted that expert testimony of childhood physical abuse would minimize death penalty recommendations. Contrary to our predictions, we found that exposure to generic instructions increased confidence in a life sentence. In addition, …