Citation

Beck JC, Borenstein N, Dreyfus J. Bull. Am. Acad. Psychiatry Law 1986; 14(2): 141-146.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1986, American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

3730627

Abstract

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.

Language: en