Thursday, January 8, 2009
Is Justice Blind?
One of the largest studies ever conducted in the UK was put in motion with almost 65,000 people involved. It tested whether the appearance of a defendant at trial would cause a jury to swing one way or another. Two groups were presented with identical physical evidence and an identical description of the crime, however one defendant looked like a typical criminal, with a broken nose, smaller eyes, and an unattractive physique, while the other looked angelic with blue eyes and a baby face. The study was intended to show whether the jury would find the more disheveled person guilty, or the baby faced defendant. The jury found that the more criminal appearing defendant was guilty more often than the baby faced one. This study is one of very few providing insight into the decision-making processes of a jury. The research suggests that justice might be short-sighted, if not blind.
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4 comments:
I think this article is very interesting, because as you said in the article the people are convicted almost never get what they deserve. I lik e how you gave a detailed summary in your own words and how the article is very realistic and true.
This is a well written article. This gives everyone an idea that looks may be deceiving. I would have like to have read more on how the trial went but other than that great work.
This was a very interesting article, it touched on a new study, and it presented shocking results. However, it was a little brief and not too descriptive. That being said, it was very upsetting to hear how the jury reacted.
From this review, it was clear to me that 1) the study contained 65,000 people 2) that the descriptions of the defendants were vivid, and 3) I like the last line about justice being short-sided, if not blind.
While this review was very well presented, I would like to know, if possible,1) what kind of crimes these defendants had committed, and 2) if that made a difference in how the people in the study reacted to them.
This review was well-written and easy for any reader to understand what the study was all about and its results.
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