NCJ Number
57629
Journal
Criminal Justice Review Volume: 3 Issue: 1 Dated: (SPRING 1978) Pages: 65-80
Date Published
1978
Length
16 pages
Annotation
THIS REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE ON RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND IMPRESSIONS OF CRIMINALITY OR DEVIANCE FOCUSES ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF RESEARCH ON CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCEDURES.
Abstract
ALTHOUGH STEREOTYPES OF CRIMINAL APPEARANCE DO EXIST AND CAN INFLUENCE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCEDURES, SUGGESTED EFFORTS TO PREVENT OR MODIFY THESE INFLUENCES ARE NOT LIKELY TO BE EFFECTIVE SINCE DATA ON THIS PHENOMENON IS LACKING. THE INFLUENCE OF CRIMINAL APPEARANCE HAS BEEN IMPLICATED IN SEVERAL STUDIES OF POLICE BEHAVIOR (BALCK AND REISS, 1970; PILIAVIN AND BRIAR, 1964; AND WERTHAM AND PILIAVIN, 1976). THESE STUDIES INDICATE THAT A SUSPECT'S DEMEANOR WAS AN IMPORTANT INPUT IN DETERMINING WHETHER THE POLICE ARRESTED THE SUSPECT. RESULTS OF STUDIES SUGGEST THAT PHYSICAL ATTRACTIVENESS OF SUSPECTS, THE RACE AND SEX OF THE PERCEIVER, AND THE AMBIGUITY OF THE HYPOTHETICAL OFFENSE SITUATION ARE CORRELATED TO SUBJECTS' ARBITRARY SELECTION OF A CRIMINAL AMONG FACES IN GROUPS OF PHOTOGRAPHS. HOWEVER, THESE EARLIER STUDIES DID NOT FOCUS ON SPECIFIC FACIAL OR BODILY FEATURES. MANY OF THESE STUDIES ALSO USED CONTRIVED OR HYPOTHETICAL RESEARCH SETTINGS, AND NONREPRESENTATIVE SAMPLING (COLLEGE STUDENTS WERE OFTEN THE SOLE STUDY SUBJECTS.) FURTHER RESEARCH IS NEEDED ON THE EFFECT OF PHYSICAL APPEARANCE ON IMPRESSIONS OF THE CRIMINALITY OF WOMEN AND THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF OFFENDERS AND VICTIMS. ON THE BASIS OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION, IT IS EVIDENT THAT PHYSICAL APPEARANCES DO PLAY A PART IN POLICE AND JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. REFERENCES ARE PROVIDED (KCP)