PSYCHOLOGICALLY DISORDERED AND CRIMINAL OFFENDERS PERCEPTIONS OF THEIR VOLITION AND RESPONSIBILITY

• NCJ Number: 35486
• Journal: Criminal Justice and Behavior Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (JUNE 1976) Pages: 123-134
• Author(s): J MONAHAN; G L HOOD
• Date Published: 1976
• Length: 12 pages
• Corporate Author: American Assoc of Correctional Psychologists
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

RESULTS OF A STUDY WHICH ASSESSED THE PUBLIC'S PERCEPTION OF THE VOLITIONAL CAPACITY AND MORAL RESPONSIBILITY OF PSYCHOLOGICALLY DISORDERED OFFENDERS BY MEANS OF AN QUESTIONNAIRE SURVEY OF 128 ORANGE COUNTY (CA) RESIDENTS.

Abstract

SUBJECTS TAKEN FROM JURY ROLLS WERE PRESENTED WITH A CASE DESCRIPTION OF A VIOLENT CRIME AND PROVIDED WITH AN OFFENDER HISTORY WHICH NOTED EITHER PRIOR PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER OR PRIOR CRIMINAL BEHAVIOR, OR THEY WERE PROVIDED WITH NO HISTORY. RESULTS GENERALLY SUPPORT THE HYPOTHESIS THAT OFFENDERS WHOSE DEVIANT ACTS ARE PLACED IN THE CONTEXT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDER ARE PERCEIVED AS HAVING LESS FREE WILL, BEING LESS MORALLY RESPONSIBLE AND BLAMEWORTHY, AND BEING LESS DESERVING OF PUNISHMENT THAN THOSE WHOSE DEVIANCE IS EITHER PLACED IN THE CONTEXT OF CRIMINALITY OR IS OF AMBIGUOUS ORIGIN. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT)