Assigning Punishment: Reader Responses to Crime News.

ABSTRACT: In this study we test how the composition of crime news articles contributes to reader perceptions of the moral blameworthiness of vehicular homicide offenders. After employing a rigorous process to develop realistic experimental vignettes about vehicular homicide in Minnesota, we deploy a survey to test differential assignments of suggested punishment. We find that readers respond to having very little information by choosing neutral or mid-point levels of punishment, but increase recommended punishment based on information about morally charged conduct. By contrast, information about the perpetrator's immigration status caused respondents to split into two groups on whether the offense deserves neutral or increased punishment. We find that political ideology strongly influences recommend

SUBMITTER: Albrecht K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8888689 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature