The Impact of Demographic Variables on Public Opinion Regarding Juvenile Justice: Implications for Public Policy

Schwartz, Ira M.; Guo, Shenyang; Kerbs, John J.

doi:10.1177/0011128793039001002

Cited by 67 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…However, these sex differences in conviction rates were not reflected in scores on the attitude measures, as there were no sex differences on the attitude scores in either sample. Previous research has found evidence to suggest sex is an important juror variable to consider in assessing juror bias (Crosby et al, 1995;Schwartz et al, 1993). Given that participant's sex was a variable that significantly predicted verdict, although inconsistently across samples, further exploration of juror sex effects on verdict with cases involving young defendants is warranted.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that adults do distinguish youthful offenders from adult offenders in terms of sentencing principles. Schwartz, Guo, and Kerbs (1993) report that adults surveyed believed youth accused of serious crimes should be tried as adults, but not be sentenced as adults nor incarcerated in adult prisons. Adults typically believe that sentencing goals for youth should be focused more on rehabilitation and less on punishment (Covell & Howe, 1996;Stalans & Henry, 1994).…”

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confidence: 99%

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The verdict on jury trials for juveniles: the effects of defendant's age on trial outcomes

Warling

Peterson‐Badali

2003

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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With the progression to more adult-like policies and procedures for youth in the justice system, the right to a jury trial has been extended to young offenders. These youth would not be tried by a jury of their peers, however, but by a jury of adults. The concern is that adult jurors may hold negative attitudes about youth that might influence their decision making in a case involving a young defendant. Two studies examined whether and under what conditions defendant's age affects jurors' decisions about the guilt and sentencing of an accused. In study 1, data were gathered from two samples of jury eligible adults: one university sample and one public sample. Mock jurors read written transcripts of a trial involving a defendant who was presented as either 13, 17, or 25 years of age. Results indicated that the defendant's age had no effect on mock jurors' verdict or their ratings of defendant guilt. However, younger defendants were granted shorter sentences than the adult defendants. In study 2, mock jurors read the same trial presented in study 1 but were asked to deliberate about the case and render group verdicts. These group verdicts did not differ significantly by defendant's age. Age-related themes that emerged from group deliberations were identified, and results indicated that age tended to be used as a mitigating factor in favor of youth rather than against them. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for youth justice policy and practice.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

The verdict on jury trials for juveniles: the effects of defendant's age on trial outcomes

Warling

Peterson‐Badali

2003

Behavioral Sci & The Law

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“…Minorities and citizens from lower socioeconomic backgrounds reported less satisfaction with the criminal justice system. Studies have also found race to be related to levels of support for a variety of correctional approaches (Barkan & Cohn, 1994;Halim & Stiles, 2001;Schwartz, Guo, & Kerbs, 1993).…”

Section: Demographic Characteristics Of Respondentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Citizen assessment of local criminal courts: Does fairness matter?

Buckler¹,

Cullen

Unnever

2007

Journal of Criminal Justice

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“…For them, the dangers of gang violence outweighed the danger of police racism. 156 The disparity in responses highlighted the complexity of African American opinion nationally.…”

Section: The Solutions Of Community Organizers: Careers Cooperationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…the police department's gang unit, championed mass arrests of all suspected gang members, and proposed plans "to violate [gang members'] rights and sweep the streets." 156 He also promised a massive increase of police presence in minority neighborhoods by increasing the police force by eight hundred officers. 157 Rizzo's pledge to run a "law and order" administration rested primarily on his credentials as a police officer and high-ranking law enforcement official.…”

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confidence: 99%

This Wrong Being Done to My People: Street Gangs, Historical Agency, and Crime Politics in Postwar America

Stubbendeck¹

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For over two hundred years, street gangs have existed in American cities, yet gang violence did not become a sustained national concern until after World War II.Beginning in 1945, the number of cities reporting gang violence expanded and the number of identified gang members grew exponentially. As a result, from the late 1950s through the early 1990s, gang violence became a sustained national crime issue.This dissertation uncovers how ideas about gangs changed during this period and who was responsible for these changes. It analyzes how different groups shaped the federal government's response to gang violence and the political battles this process entailed. Generally, scholars focus on politicians and the news media as the primary architects of crime-related politics. This study, however, argues that although these actors helped make gangs a political issue, police officers, minority leaders, and gang members played a central role as well. Each of these groups developed their own understandings of street gangs, which included perceptions about the types of activities gangs partook in, what caused gang-related crime, and the racial composition of American gangs. In turn, each group proposed unique solutions specific to their understandings of the "gang issue." Through these proposals-and working in conjunction with journalists, sociologists, social workers, and federal officials-these actors determined the crimefighting solutions available to lawmakers. In doing so, they helped make crime a political battleground at the federal level and took part in constructing national crime policy.These efforts gave rise to two divergent forms of crime control-one liberal and one conservative-in the 1960s and early 1970s, followed by increasingly punitive policies in ! iv! the 1980s and 1990s. By incorporating these oft-ignored actors, this study explains why lawmakers made the policy decisions that ultimately resulted in the modern carceral state. Tables Table 1 Percent change in nonwhite ! v! LIST OF TABLES

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The Impact of Demographic Variables on Public Opinion Regarding Juvenile Justice: Implications for Public Policy

Cited by 67 publications

References 12 publications

The verdict on jury trials for juveniles: the effects of defendant's age on trial outcomes

The verdict on jury trials for juveniles: the effects of defendant's age on trial outcomes

Citizen assessment of local criminal courts: Does fairness matter?

This Wrong Being Done to My People: Street Gangs, Historical Agency, and Crime Politics in Postwar America

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