The role of implicit race biases on juror decision-making

Abstract

Most efforts to identify juror bias rely on explicit measures, which have been subject to criticisms concerning validity. The following studies attempt to better understand juror bias through the use of an indirect measure, the Single Category Implicit Association Test (SC-IAT). The goal of these studies was to investigate whether jurors have implicit biases regarding the guilt or innocence of a defendant, even before trial begins. Also, to investigate whether this bias varies as a result of extra-legal factors, such as defendant race and juror race. A final goal was to investigate the predictive validity of the indirect measure of guilt bias, with regard to juror decision-making and verdicts. Results from the following studies demonstrate that participants do have significant implicit guilt biases before a trial, and these biases vary based on participant race and defendant race. Furthermore, pre-trial implicit bias is a good predictor of juror decision-making. The implications of implicit biases on the legal system and ideas for future research are discussed.