RT Article
T1 Moral intuitions, punishment ideology, and judicial sentencing
JF Journal of crime and justice
VO 47
IS 2
SP 219
OP 240
A1 Silver, Jason R.
A2 Ulmer, Jeffery T. 1966-
LA English
YR 2024
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1883037654
AB Considerable research examines discretion in judicial sentencing. However, little is known about the role of moral values or ideological beliefs in judicial sentencing decisions. The current study draws on insights from moral psychology to propose a model of judicial decision-making in which moral intuitions may inform sentencing both directly and indirectly via ideological beliefs about punishment (including general punitiveness and concern for offenders). We test this model using a statewide survey of Pennsylvania Common Pleas Criminal Court judges (N = 132), which included hypothetical sentencing vignettes. Results indicate that although moral intuitions were related to punishment ideology, moral intuitions were largely unrelated to judicial sentencing decisions, with a few exceptions. We interpret the results as suggesting that while moral and ideological preferences may be relevant under some circumstances, the role of morality in judicial decision-making may be constrained by legal or organizational factors.
K1 punishment ideology
K1 moral intuitions
K1 Judicial sentencing
DO 10.1080/0735648X.2023.2248085