The myth of judicial leniency in sentencing
- 1 December 1989
- journal article
- Published by Wiley in Behavioral Sciences & the Law
- Vol. 7 (1) , 73-89
- https://doi.org/10.1002/bsl.2370070106
Abstract
Opinion polls report that the pubic is increasingly critical of perceived judicial leniency in sentencing. To examine the degree and pattern of judicial leniency, Illinois judges and laypersons were asked to impose sentences on the same offenders. Contrary to the myth of judicial leniency, the sentences given by laypersons tended to be equal to or less severe than those given by judges. Explanations are offered for the divergence between myth and reality, including the availability heuristic and the impact of biased recall.Keywords
This publication has 10 references indexed in Scilit:
- Popular Moderation Versus Governmental Authoritarianism: An Interactionist View of Public Sentiments Toward Criminal SanctionsCrime & Delinquency, 1987
- Public Perceptions of the Criminal Courts: The Role of Demographic and Related Attitudinal VariablesJournal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 1985
- Social psychology, social attitudes, and attitudes toward sentencing.Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 1984
- The Accuracy of Public Beliefs About CrimeSocial Forces, 1980
- The Accuracy of Public Beliefs about CrimeSocial Forces, 1980
- Attention and weight in person perception: The impact of negative and extreme behavior.Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1980
- Public Knowledge of Statutory Penalties: The Extent and Basis of Accurate PerceptionThe Pacific Sociological Review, 1980
- Sentencing of Convicted Offenders: An Analysis of the Public's ViewLaw & Society Review, 1980
- Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and BiasesScience, 1974
- On the psychology of prediction.Psychological Review, 1973