Doctoral Dissertation Research: Effects of Pre-and Post Venire Publicity on Juror Decision Making

Pi和Co-PI：Steven D.Penrod和Tarika Daftary标题：博士论文研究：审判前和审判后宣传对陪审员决策的影响0819392项目摘要本研究旨在采用一种新的研究方法，调查审判前宣传(PTP)和审判后宣传(PVP)对陪审员决策的影响。长期以来，人们一直对审前宣传可能损害当事方获得公平审判的权利表示关切，迄今为止的研究完全集中在PTP的影响上。另一个可能对陪审员产生偏见的因素是会后宣传(PVP)。PVP指的是与审判有关的宣传，在座的陪审员可能会有意或无意地接触到这些信息。PVP一直是法院关注的问题，也是许多上诉裁决的基础。拟议的研究将在框架理论框架内考察PTP/PVP的影响。研究和决策前的扭曲。建议陪审员根据所接触到的媒体框架？一个支持起诉的框架，或者一个支持辩护的框架，他们的感知和推论将被扭曲，朝着受惠方的方向发展。这具有重大的法律影响，因为许多新闻媒体消息来源在一个方向或另一个方向上存在严重偏见，而曝光可能会影响决策。这项研究还将审查传播信息的媒介(纸质与视频)以及PTP的数量。这项研究将采用影子陪审员的方法，参与者作为模拟陪审员将接触到从实际审判中出现的审判证据。它将在网上与审判地点的参与者以及偏远、可能改变地点的参与者一起进行。这项研究将分6个阶段进行。第一堂课将是PTP，第二堂课将是尖锐的问题和开庭陈词，第三堂课将是检方证词，第四堂课将是控方和辩方证词，第五堂课将是辩方证词，第六堂课将是结案陈词，法官S将作出指示。参与者将被发送浓缩的庭审证词，并被要求在过程中的多个点上发表意见以及最终判决。这项研究对法律制度有许多启示。随着更好地了解外部宣传是如何运作的，传统的保障措施，如延续、延长期限、陪审团审议和司法指示，可能会得到支持，这些保障措施在过去被发现是无效的。这项研究的外部有效性的提高可能会导致法庭上更多地接受心理法律研究。如果陪审员确实受到他们在决策过程中接触到的信息的影响，那么可以提出一个政策理由，要求在法庭进行程序改革，包括但不限于关于公开曝光的延长预见期，在适当情况下批准变更地点的请求，以及在备受瞩目的案件中加强陪审团隔离的必要性。这项研究将聘用一些本科生和研究生水平的研究助理，并为他们提供研究机会。这项研究的主要地点是纽约州立大学约翰·杰伊学院，该学院的学生群体极其多样化和种族。这项研究的结果将在国家会议上公布，例如美国心理法律学会的年度会议。此外，它们将在该领域的主要期刊上提交发表。

PI and Co-PI: Steven D. Penrod and Tarika DaftaryTitle: Doctoral Dissertation Research: Effects of Pre-and Post Venire Publicity on Juror Decision Making0819392 Project AbstractThe proposed research is designed to investigate the influence of pre-trial publicity (PTP) as well as post-venire publicity (PVP) on juror decision making using a novel research methodology. Concern has long been expressed about the possibility that pretrial publicity could compromise the rights of parties to a fair trial and research to date has focused entirely on the effects of PTP. Another factor that could potentially bias jurors is post-venire publicity (PVP). PVP refers to publicity related to a trial that seated jurors may be exposed to, wittingly or unwittingly. PVP has been a concern in the courts and the basis for a number of appellate rulings. The proposed study will examine the influence of PTP/PVP within the theoretical frameworks of ?framing? research and ?predecisional distortion.? It is proposed that depending on the media frame jurors are exposed to ? a pro-prosecution frame, or a pro-defense frame, their perceptions and inferences will be distorted in direction of the favored party. This has significant legal implications as many news media sources are substantially biased in one direction or the other and exposure could influence decision making. The study will also examine the medium (print versus video) via which the information is disseminated, as well as the amount of PTP. The study will employ a shadow juror methodology where participants acting as mock jurors will be exposed to trial evidence as it emerges from an actual trial. It will be conducted online with participants in the venue in which the trial is to take place as well as participants in a remote, potential change-of-venue location. The study will be conducted in 6 sessions. Session 1 will be the exposure to the PTP, session 2 will be vior dire questions and opening statements, session 3 will be prosecution testimony, session 4 will be prosecution and defense testimony, session 5 will be defense testimony, and session 6 will be closing arguments, and judge?s instructions. Participants will be sent condensed trial testimony and asked to render opinions at multiple points along the way as well as ultimate judgments. This study has a number of implications for the legal system. With a better understanding of how external publicity operates, traditional safeguards such as continuances, extended voir dire, jury deliberations, and judicial instructions, which have been found ineffective in the past, may be bolstered. The enhanced external validity of this study could lead to greater acceptance of psycho-legal research in the courtroom. If jurors are indeed influenced by the information they are exposed to during their decision-making process, then a policy case could be made for procedural changes in the court room, including, but not limited to, extended voir dire regarding publicity exposure, granting of change of venue requests in appropriate situations, and the need for enhanced sequestering of juries in high profile cases. The study will engage a number of undergraduate and gradate level research assistants and provide them with a research opportunity. The primary site for the research is John Jay College-CUNY which has an extremely diverse and ethnic student body. The results of this study will be presented at National Conferences such as the annual meeting of the American Psychology-Law Society. Additionally, they will be submitted for publication at leading journals in the field.