Young People More Understanding Of Psychological Disorders When Sentencing

Main Category: Psychology / Psychiatry
Also Included In: Mental Health
Article Date: 15 Apr 2010 - 4:00 PDT


Young jurors may be more likely to be lenient towards defendants with psychological disorders, such as borderline personality disorder, than older jurors.

This is the finding of a study presented on the 15th April 2010 at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Stratford-upon-Avon.

The study by Sandie Taylor and Emily Alner from Bath Spa University, two groups of participants (the first aged 18 to 30 and the second 50 plus) were shown videos of courtroom scenes depicting female defendants, either displaying overt behavioural symptoms of borderline personality disorders or not displaying any symptoms to examine whether the two age groups had different attitudes towards the defendants.

When symptoms were displayed an expert witness was shown saying that the defendant had either borderline personality or didn't have borderline personality and likewise when no symptoms were displayed.

The participants in the 50 plus age group rated the extent of the defendant's guilt and criminal intent higher, and gave longer sentences to the defendants displaying borderline personality disorder than did the participants aged 18 to30. The younger participants rated the defendant's criminal intent as lower when displaying borderline personality disorder, and gave the most lenient sentences to this group.

Dr Taylor said: "These age-related differences may be due to improved information and understanding about personality disorders and problems including mental illness, in general, in young people leading them to judge and sentence defendants with psychological problems less harshly. Older people however may be more likely to misattribute the behaviours shown by defendants with borderline personality disorder for 'bad', 'rude' and 'punishable' behaviour.

"This has implications for defendants with personality disorders and other problems including mental illnesses as their sentence may depend on the make-up of the jury they face."

Source
British Psychological Society

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