Behavioral Sciences & the Law最新文献

The incidence of confession behaviour among criminal suspects in custodial situations and the associated factors were explored through an analysis of questionnaire data obtained from criminal suspects in custody at detention centres. A high overall confession rate of criminal suspects in the investigation stage was observed, particularly during the initial interrogation. A binary logistic regression model indicated that the factors associated with confession behaviour were education level, prior criminal experience, strength of adverse evidence, and information-gathering interrogation strategy. The findings of this study verify that the confession behaviour of criminal suspects is affected by a combination of individual characteristics, criminological factors, and contextual interrogation factors in the judicial and cultural context of China. The predictive model of suspects' confessions provides local empirical evidence that could inform cross-cultural research on the interactive process model as well as provide a practical basis for scientific, effective interventions and guidance of confession behaviour.

In the Australian criminal justice system, police and jurors (members of the general public) judge a suspect's credibility to determine guilt. Studies show that the general public and some Australian police officers have stated that they often use nonverbal behaviour to detect lies. However, nonverbal behaviour is an unreliable lie detection method, particularly when used cross-culturally, given cultural differences in nonverbal behaviour and perceptions. There is a lack of cross-cultural lie detection research in Australia, and no studies have investigated the lie detection methods used by Arab–Australians. This study utilised an open-ended question and a 10-item questionnaire created by the Global Deception Research Team to explore potential lie detection method differences between a sample of Arab- (n = 102) and non-Arab–Australians (n = 70). The results showed that while most participants in both groups were confident in their ability to detect deceit, Arab–Australians thought they could detect lies significantly more than non-Arab Australians. Both Arab- and non-Arab participants tended to rely on non-verbal behaviour to detect lies; however, there were some differences, some of which were surprising given purported cultural differences with some nonverbal behaviours. This has significant implications for understanding how cultural context influences perceptions of truthfulness.

Child sexual abuse (CSA) investigations require high-quality interviews, but maintaining interviewing skills long-term has been challenging. This study investigated the long-term effectiveness of avatar-based interview training for CSA investigations among 478 police officers. Participants were randomly assigned to single booster (n = 291) or double booster (n = 187) groups. Following initial training, the single booster group received reinforcement at 6 months, while the double booster group received sessions at 1 and 6 months. Results showed that initial training significantly improved interviewing skills, increasing recommended questions and relevant details elicited. While the double booster group demonstrated better skill maintenance over time, no differences in relearning saving rates were observed between groups at 6 months. The study indicates that avatar-based training with regular booster sessions effectively enhances and maintains CSA interviewing competence. Future research should examine skill transfer to real interviews and optimal booster scheduling.

We identified 54 homicides of U.S. judges since the 1800s through news accounts, databases, and the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). Most (92.6%) decedents were men. More than half of the homicides had a connection to work. Firearms were the most common attack method. Although violence is relatively common in U.S. courts, homicides of judges are rare. Homicide nevertheless is an occupational hazard and potential threat for judges necessitating effective security measures to safeguard judges in and outside of courts. We advocate for the development of a comprehensive national database for refining risk management strategies throughout the judicial system. The psychological impact of violence, and how the judicial system responds to threats of judicial homicide, are public policy issues warranting additional study and resources.

Criminal sentencing in sexual assault cases exhibits systematic disparities based on victim-offender relationships, yet existing theoretical explanations remain inadequate for understanding the underlying cognitive mechanisms. This study reconceptualizes rape myth theory by distinguishing between two distinct cognitive structures: consent myths that operate through everyday cultural reinforcement, and norm violation responses that activate through moral boundary violations. Analyzing 7701 Chinese rape case judgments (2012–2020), we demonstrate that these mechanisms produce opposing sentencing effects. Consent myths lead to sentencing discounts of 5%–9% for acquaintance and intimate partner cases, while norm violation responses trigger 25% longer sentences for familial cases. This dual-structure framework explains previously puzzling cross-cultural patterns, including why Chinese courts impose harsher punishment on family members than strangers. We identify two critical moderating factors that interact differently with these myth types. Lay assessor participation produces “accidental equity” through generalized punitiveness, compressing relationship-based disparities via universal severity rather than bias correction. Provincial modernization demonstrates contradictory effects: reducing consent myth influence through changing gender norms while simultaneously amplifying norm violation responses through heightened moral sensitivity. Crucially, female educational advancement proves more effective than general economic growth in reducing rape myth influence.