NCJ Number
94999
Journal
Journal of Criminal Justice Volume: 12 Issue: 4 Dated: (1984) Pages: 407-414
Date Published
1984
Length
8 pages
Annotation
This study examines the effects of victim provocation on judgments of the legal responsibility for a homicide.
Abstract
Previous research and various legal rulings suggest that victim provocation is related to judicial decision-making. However, the magnitude of this relationship has not been assessed. Using a quasi-experimental procedure in which subjects read a case account of homicide, this study indicates that as victim provocation increases, the level of legal responsibility and the years of imprisonment attributed to the offender decreases. The paper concludes with suggestions for future research in actual judicial decision-making, victim precipitation, and applying an attributional framework to these areas. (Author abstract)