Abstract
A community sample of 226 participants (41% men, 59% women) who answered questions about a trial summary that manipulated what type of witness (a 45-year-old hearsay [second-hand information based on the report of a crime victim] witness, a 75-year-old hearsay witness, or the 75-year-old victim) presented an allegation of elder physical abuse. Overall, participants who read the testimony of a 45-year-old hearsay witness had higher conviction rates than participants who read the testimony of the 75-year-old hearsay witness or the elder victim. Additionally, participants who had previously been victims of abuse and/or who had positive attitudes toward elderly people rendered more pro-prosecution verdicts. Finally, as the age of the participant increased so did conviction rates.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 19-39 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 3-4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Dec 10 2007 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Data for this study were collected from southern metropolitan areas with the support of a Faculty Research Grant from the University of Kentucky.
Funding
Data for this study were collected from southern metropolitan areas with the support of a Faculty Research Grant from the University of Kentucky.
| Funders | Funder number |
|---|---|
| University of Kentucky |
Keywords
- Elder abuse
- Hearsay witness
- Juror decision-making
- Juror perception
- Witness credibility
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Geriatrics and Gerontology
