Diagnosed Mental Illness and Perceptions of Culpability: The Effects of Diagnosis on Perceptions of Violent Crime

Location

Taylor 405, Madison Union, JMU

Start Date

4-6-2019 9:00 AM

Description

Violent crime is an ever-present issue in modern society. As such, a frequent concern is the conviction and sentencing of these criminals. In these trials, the mental competency of the defendant is likely to come into question regardless of the plea. A small proportion of defendants plead not guilty by reason of insanity thus it is more relevant to investigate the influence of diagnosis in other cases. To determine the potential effects of diagnosis, a survey using stories of violent crimes with a statement of no diagnosis, a diagnosis of Schizophrenia, or a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder was distributed. This survey asked participants where and for how long they believed a defendant should be sentenced. The results of this survey indicate that diagnosis does not have a significant effect on how long a person should be sentenced for, only where they should be sentenced to.

Presentation Type

Poster

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Apr 6th, 9:00 AM

Diagnosed Mental Illness and Perceptions of Culpability: The Effects of Diagnosis on Perceptions of Violent Crime

Taylor 405, Madison Union, JMU

Violent crime is an ever-present issue in modern society. As such, a frequent concern is the conviction and sentencing of these criminals. In these trials, the mental competency of the defendant is likely to come into question regardless of the plea. A small proportion of defendants plead not guilty by reason of insanity thus it is more relevant to investigate the influence of diagnosis in other cases. To determine the potential effects of diagnosis, a survey using stories of violent crimes with a statement of no diagnosis, a diagnosis of Schizophrenia, or a diagnosis of Antisocial Personality Disorder was distributed. This survey asked participants where and for how long they believed a defendant should be sentenced. The results of this survey indicate that diagnosis does not have a significant effect on how long a person should be sentenced for, only where they should be sentenced to.