University Library
  • Login
A gateway to Melbourne's research publications
Minerva Access is the University's Institutional Repository. It aims to collect, preserve, and showcase the intellectual output of staff and students of the University of Melbourne for a global audience.
View Item 
  • Minerva Access
  • Arts
  • School of Social and Political Sciences
  • School of Social and Political Sciences - Research Publications
  • View Item
  • Minerva Access
  • Arts
  • School of Social and Political Sciences
  • School of Social and Political Sciences - Research Publications
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Juror and community views of the guilty plea sentencing discount: Findings from a national Australian study

    Thumbnail
    Citations
    Altmetric
    Author
    Warner, K; Spiranovic, C; Bartels, L; Roberts, L; Gelb, K
    Date
    2020-09-12
    Source Title
    Criminology and Criminal Justice
    Publisher
    SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD
    University of Melbourne Author/s
    Gelb, Karen
    Affiliation
    School of Social and Political Sciences
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Document Type
    Journal Article
    Citations
    Warner, K., Spiranovic, C., Bartels, L., Roberts, L. & Gelb, K. (2020). Juror and community views of the guilty plea sentencing discount: Findings from a national Australian study. CRIMINOLOGY & CRIMINAL JUSTICE, https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895820956703.
    Access Status
    Access this item via the Open Access location
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11343/254131
    DOI
    10.1177/1748895820956703
    Open Access URL
    https://eprints.utas.edu.au/34846/1/140876%20-%20Juror%20and%20community%20views%20of%20the%20guilty%20plea%20sentencing%20discount.pdf
    Abstract
    <jats:p> A plea of guilty is a long-accepted factor mitigating sentence in many countries, including Australia, although academic debate over the merits and application of the discount is ongoing. This paper presents findings from a national Australian study on public opinion on the guilty plea sentencing discount, with a particular focus on sexual offences. Survey data were drawn from 989 jurors in cases that resulted in a guilty verdict and 450 unempanelled jurors and 306 online respondents who were provided with vignettes based on real cases. A third of the respondents would have supported a discount in their case if the offender had pleaded guilty. In contrast, more than one half of the respondents surveyed, who had received a vignette with a guilty plea scenario, supported an increment in sentence if the offender had gone to trial. There was more support for a discount in cases involving non-sexual violent offences versus sexual offences and adult versus child victims. Where a discount was supported, this most commonly was a reduction in the length of custodial sentence, with online respondents allocating the least generous discounts. Willingness to accept a sentencing discount was predicted by a range of variables including gender, education, punitive attitudes, offence type and offence seriousness. We conclude by considering the implications of our findings for sentencing law and practice. </jats:p>

    Export Reference in RIS Format     

    Endnote

    • Click on "Export Reference in RIS Format" and choose "open with... Endnote".

    Refworks

    • Click on "Export Reference in RIS Format". Login to Refworks, go to References => Import References


    Collections
    • Minerva Elements Records [45689]
    • School of Social and Political Sciences - Research Publications [1087]
    Minerva AccessDepositing Your Work (for University of Melbourne Staff and Students)NewsFAQs

    BrowseCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects
    My AccountLoginRegister
    StatisticsMost Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors