RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Relationship between Verdict, Defendant Characteristics, and Type of Crime in Sex-related Criminal Cases
JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
SP 141
OP 146
VO 14
IS 2
A1 Beck, James C.
A1 Borenstein, Neal
A1 Dreyfus, Jennifer
YR 1986
UL http://jaapl.org/content/14/2/141.abstract
AB In an earlier study, we unexpectedly found that defendants charged with sex crimes were four times less likely to be convicted than were all other defendants. We now report that failure to convict for rape was associated with failure to come to trial and that minor sex crimes were tried, but often continued without a finding, even when the judge found sufficient facts to make a guilty finding. Whether a minor crime involved a victim and whether the defendant has a criminal record both relate to verdict, but psychiatric history did not. The implications for understanding “acquittal of the guilty” are discussed.