Purpose

Some critics argue that legal standards, even when and where equivalent, are differentially applied to officers and civilians. This study examined evaluations of justifiability and culpability for police officers versus civilians, as well as White shooters versus Black shooters, in a 2✕2 factorial experiment. It also explored how personal attitudes and characteristics correspond to those evaluations.

Methods

A national sample of 2492 online respondents evaluated culpability and justifiability involving a claim of lethal self-defense involving mistake of fact. After reviewing facts about the case, watching video of the incident, and being given jury instructions for murder and self-defense, respondents were asked to evaluate the justifiability of the shooting on a 6-point scale and render a verdict.

Results

Police officers and Black shooters were evaluated more favorably. Pre-existing confidence in the police demonstrated direct effects and interaction effects on perceived justifiability and likelihood of acquittal.

Conclusions

These results reveal a double standard that benefits police in cases of lethal self-defense. The strong correlation between pre-existing confidence in the police and acquittal of police officers indicates a need for further research on how a generalized public trust in police impacts particularized evaluations of conduct in specific cases.

中文翻译：

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致命自卫的正当性和有罪：警察与平民

 目的

一些批评者认为，即使在相同的情况下，法律标准对官员和平民的适用也有所不同。这项研究在 2✕2 析因实验中检验了对警察与平民、以及白人枪手与黑人枪手的正当性和罪责的评估。它还探讨了个人态度和特征如何与这些评估相对应。

 方法

一项由 2492 名在线受访者组成的全国样本评估了涉及事实错误的致命自卫主张的罪责和正当性。在审查了案件事实、观看了事件视频并听取了陪审团关于谋杀和自卫的指示后，受访者被要求以 6 分制评估枪击事件的合理性并做出裁决。

 结果

警察和黑人枪手得到了更有利的评价。预先存在的对警察的信心对感知合理性和无罪释放的可能性产生了直接影响和相互作用影响。

 结论

这些结果揭示了在致命自卫案件中对警察有利的双重标准。先前对警察的信心与警察无罪释放之间的密切相关性表明，需要进一步研究公众对警察的普遍信任如何影响对特定案件中行为的具体评估。