NCJ Number
166323
Journal
Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 24 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1997) Pages: 157-176
Date Published
1997
Length
20 pages
Annotation
Using hypothetical scripts and experimental manipulation, this study examined how disputant gender and mental state affected inferences of 130 Georgia police officers about dangerousness, responsibility, credibility, and control and ultimately their decisions to arrest or refer for involuntary civil commitment in domestic assault cases.
Abstract
Study participants were selected from public safety centers responsible for providing in-service training to experienced police officers and mandated training to rookie police officers in the northern part of Georgia. Of police officers who responded, 47.7 percent said they patrolled suburban areas; 34.9 percent said they patrolled urban areas; and 17.4 percent said they patrolled rural or some combination of rural, urban, and suburban neighborhoods. Eight scripts were produced by manipulating two features: (1) gender of the uninjured disputant (assailant) and the injured disputant (victim); and (2) assailant's mental state. Study participants were randomly assigned to read only one script. Police officers inferred that male victims of domestic assault had more control over their actions and were more responsible than female victims. Mentally ill assailants were viewed as more dangerous and less in control of their actions than normal assailants. Gender influenced the arrest decision through police officer assessments of disputant credibility and responsibility. Female mentally ill assailants were more likely than male assailants to be referred for involuntary civil commitment. Findings suggest that both gender and mental state affect police officer inferences and decisions in domestic assault cases. An appendix contains information on the operationalization and frequencies of quantitative inference measures. 47 references, 1 note, and 2 tables