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Juvenile Competency and Responsibility: Public Perceptions
Author(s) -
Bradley April R.,
Mayzer Roni,
Schefter Mallory,
Olufs Erin,
Miller Joseph,
Laver Mariah
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2012.00947.x
Subject(s) - psychology , jury , immediacy , maturity (psychological) , perception , social psychology , economic justice , judgement , juvenile , developmental psychology , law , political science , philosophy , epistemology , neuroscience , biology , genetics
The current study examined the relationship between knowledge of adolescent brain development and attitudes about juvenile competency, responsibility, likelihood to recidivate, and rehabilitative capacity. In addition, it examined what factors—a juvenile's age, the type of crime committed, or the immediacy of the crime—influenced participants' perceptions. Participants displayed some knowledge of adolescent brain development and social maturity, and tended to see adolescents as not ready, emotionally or psychologically, to handle the proceedings of adult court or a jury trial. However, a delay in criminal behavior (immediate vs. next morning) and type of victim (targeted vs. random) heavily influenced ratings of responsibility, likelihood to recidivate, and rehabilitative capacity. Implications for jury decision making and public policy are discussed.