Abstract
This article examines criticism from the scholarly community and findings from the military's Judicial Proceedings Panel that training in the U.S. Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program biases panel members during courts-martial. The topic is examined from the perspective of psychological science. Studies on jury bias, stereotypes, decision-making dynamics, and behavioral conditioning are applied to the question of whether sexual assault prevention training can bias panel members. Analysis of the subject suggests that servicemembers are subjected to a range of bias-inducing mechanisms that arise within the military context. This article concludes that expert witnesses in behavioral science should be called during courts-martial to explain how judgements may be influenced by institutional training. Reinforcing the integrity of the military justice system has implications for protecting individual liberties.
Footnotes
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy of the U.S. Department of the Army, U.S. Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.
Disclosures of financial or other potential conflicts of interest: None.
- © 2020 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law