@article{ref1,
title="Putting negative attitudes on the agenda? Not Criminally Responsible Reform Act publicity and juror decision-making",
journal="International journal of law and psychiatry",
year="2016",
author="Maeder, Evelyn M. and Yamamoto, Susan and Zannella, Lesley",
volume="49",
number="Pt A",
pages="154-159",
abstract="The current study examined the effect of publicity about Canada's recent Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) Reform Act - legislation surrounding accused in insanity cases that purportedly aims to enhance public safety - on juror decision-making. In line with agenda-setting theory, we expected that NCR Reform Act publicity might reinforce certain fears about the insanity defence, dependent on whether it had either a positive or negative evaluative slant. Contrary to previous work on the insanity defence, participants in this study generally favoured a NCR verdict. The evaluative slant of the NCR publicity had no effect on verdict decisions or insanity defence attitudes, but there was a significant difference in participants' evaluations of the fairness of the Reform Act, such that those exposed to a positive or control article viewed the act as fairer than those exposed to a negative article. This study may aid future researchers in evaluating potential unintended consequences of the NCR Reform Act.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0160-2527",
doi="10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.08.010",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijlp.2016.08.010"
}