Interesting Mock Jury Study
Posted: Mon Sep 27, 2010 7:42 am
Study here
This is an interesting study. Mock juries were given detailed written scenarios of a homeowner shooting a burglar during a burglary and were asked to vote if they would convict or acquit the homeowner and, if convicted, what sentence would they impose.
The study finds that the type of firearm used and, surprisingly, the gender of the homeowner made a big difference in the conviction rate and sentence.
For example, the jury was much more likely to convict if the homeowner used an AR-15 vs a Ruger Mini-14, despite the fact they both use the same caliber bullet, and the sentence imposed for using the AR-15 was significantly higher. If the homeowner was female, the jury was more likely to convict and impose a harsher sentence, with about a 50% conviction rate for men and about a 75% conviction rate for women. A male homeowner who used an AR-15 in this scenario was given an average of 5.5 years, while a female homeowner using an AR-15 was given an average of 8 years.
This is an interesting study. Mock juries were given detailed written scenarios of a homeowner shooting a burglar during a burglary and were asked to vote if they would convict or acquit the homeowner and, if convicted, what sentence would they impose.
The study finds that the type of firearm used and, surprisingly, the gender of the homeowner made a big difference in the conviction rate and sentence.
For example, the jury was much more likely to convict if the homeowner used an AR-15 vs a Ruger Mini-14, despite the fact they both use the same caliber bullet, and the sentence imposed for using the AR-15 was significantly higher. If the homeowner was female, the jury was more likely to convict and impose a harsher sentence, with about a 50% conviction rate for men and about a 75% conviction rate for women. A male homeowner who used an AR-15 in this scenario was given an average of 5.5 years, while a female homeowner using an AR-15 was given an average of 8 years.