Assessing juror understanding of capital-sentencing instructions

    Authors

    J. Frank;B. K. Applegate

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    Crime Delinq.

    Keywords

    COMPREHENSION; PUNISHMENT; JURIES; JUDGES; Criminology & Penology

    Abstract

    Although recent research has suggested that juror understanding of sentencing instructions in capital cases is limited, jurors in most states retain responsibility for determining whether a defendant receives the death penalty. Using data collected from 258 individuals who were called for jury duty in a midwestern city, the present study demonstrates that (1) jurors' comprehension of sentencing instructions is limited, (2) the particular areas of misunderstanding tend to place the defendant at a disadvantage, (3) juror understanding can be improved by rewriting state death penalty pattern instructions, and (4) comprehension levels also may be increased by providing jurors with a written copy of the instructions. Unfortunately, the effects that this research may have on legal policy are unclear.

    Journal Title

    Crime & Delinquency

    Volume

    44

    Issue/Number

    3

    Publication Date

    1-1-1998

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    412

    Last Page

    433

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000074238200005

    ISSN

    0011-1287

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