The Death Equation: Decisionmaking in Death Penalty Cases

目前，美国有38个州、美国政府和美国军方执行死刑。1997年，美国有74人被处决，另有3200多人在死囚牢房中等待死刑。失败的案例甚至更多。这项研究检验了关于律师的指示和论点对陪审员理解和使用减刑证据的影响的若干假设，最高法院最近在布坎南诉安杰洛内案（1998年）中就死刑作出的裁决强调了这些假设。此外，本研究将探讨陪审团审议对结果决定的影响。死亡合格的社区居民和学生模拟陪审员正在参加死刑听证会。陪审员被随机分配到治疗条件。结果将有助于了解陪审员对减轻和加重情节的理解。目前，美国有38个州、美国政府和美国军方执行死刑。1997年，美国有74人被处决，另有3200多人在死囚牢房中等待死刑。失败的案例甚至更多。这项研究检验了关于律师的指示和论点对陪审员理解和使用减刑证据的影响的若干假设，最高法院最近在布坎南诉安杰洛内案（1998年）中就死刑作出的裁决强调了这些假设。此外，本研究将探讨陪审团审议对结果决定的影响。死亡合格的社区居民和学生模拟陪审员正在参加死刑听证会。陪审员被随机分配到治疗条件。结果将有助于了解陪审员对减轻和加重情节的理解。

Presently, 38 states, the U.S. government, and the U.S. military enforce the death penalty. During 1997, 74 people were executed in the United States, while over 3200 others awaited capital punishment on death row. An even larger number of cases were tried unsuccessfully. The research tests several hypotheses, underscored by the latest Supreme Court death penalty decision in Buchanan v. Angelone (1998), about the impact of instructions and arguments by counsel on jurors' understanding and use of mitigation evidence. In addition, the research will explore the impact of jury deliberations on the outcome decision. Death qualified community residents and student mock jurors are participating in a capital penalty hearing. Jurors are randomly assigned to treatment conditions. The results will help understand jurors' understanding of mitigating and aggravating circumstances. %%% Presently, 38 states, the U.S. government, and the U.S. military enforce the death penalty. During 1997, 74 people were executed in the United States, while over 3200 others awaited capital punishment on death row. An even larger number of cases were tried unsuccessfully. The research tests several hypotheses, underscored by the latest Supreme Court death penalty decision in Buchanan v. Angelone (1998), about the impact of instructions and arguments by counsel on jurors' understanding and use of mitigation evidence. In addition, the research will explore the impact of jury deliberations on the outcome decision. Death qualified community residents and student mock jurors are participating in a capital penalty hearing. Jurors are randomly assigned to treatment conditions. The results will help understand jurors' understanding of mitigating and aggravating circumstances.