Start Date
12-4-2021 10:00 AM
End Date
12-4-2021 10:00 AM
Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
Official misconduct contributes to many wrongful convictions, disproportionately affecting more black than white individuals. Previous research on perceptions of exonerees has yielded mixed results on race differences and none has investigated gender differences. This study compared perceptions of exonerees, wrongfully convicted due to official misconduct, manipulating race and gender. Participants read a mock news article detailing the double homicide of the exoneree’s children. Participants recognized that official misconduct was more likely to occur for black individuals. They were generally supportive of compensation for exonerees but rated the white female as least deserving. Participants also held more favorable attitudes towards black exonerees yet would be less comfortable in social interactions with black than white exonerees.
Date
4-12-2021
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Recommended Citation
Bettens, Talley and Warren, Amye, "How Do Race and Gender Impact Perceptions of the Wrongfully Convicted?". ReSEARCH Dialogues Conference proceedings. https://scholar.utc.edu/research-dialogues/2021/posters/6.
How Do Race and Gender Impact Perceptions of the Wrongfully Convicted?
Official misconduct contributes to many wrongful convictions, disproportionately affecting more black than white individuals. Previous research on perceptions of exonerees has yielded mixed results on race differences and none has investigated gender differences. This study compared perceptions of exonerees, wrongfully convicted due to official misconduct, manipulating race and gender. Participants read a mock news article detailing the double homicide of the exoneree’s children. Participants recognized that official misconduct was more likely to occur for black individuals. They were generally supportive of compensation for exonerees but rated the white female as least deserving. Participants also held more favorable attitudes towards black exonerees yet would be less comfortable in social interactions with black than white exonerees.