Law and Human Behavior最新文献

{"title":"Detecting criminal intent in social interactions: The influence of autism and theory of mind.","authors":"Zoe Michael,Neil Brewer","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000575","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000575","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVEDefense attorneys sometimes suggest that social-cognitive difficulties render autistic individuals vulnerable to involvement in crime, often arguing that theory of mind (ToM) difficulties that undermine inferences about others' intentions underpin this vulnerability. We examined autistic adults' ability to respond adaptively to criminal intent during interactions and whether difficulties were associated with poor ToM.HYPOTHESESCompared with nonautistic adults, autistic adults were expected to be less likely to respond adaptively to another's criminal intent and less likely to do so early in interactions, with poorer performance associated with ToM difficulties.METHODWe developed the Suspicious Activity Paradigm, in which autistic (n = 102) and nonautistic (n = 95) adults listened (as if participating in an interaction) to audio scenarios in which cues suggesting their impending involvement in a crime gradually emerged. At periodic intervals, they were required to indicate how they would react toward the other person's behavior, with response coding reflecting detection of, and adaptive responding to, suspicious activity.RESULTSWe observed similar patterns of suspicion and adaptive responses in autistic and nonautistic adults as the scenarios progressed. Regardless of diagnostic status, pronounced ToM difficulties and low verbal ability were independently associated with a lower likelihood of reporting suspicion and responding adaptively.CONCLUSIONSOur results do not support the perspective that autistic adults are uniquely vulnerable to crime involvement due to an inability to recognize and respond adaptively to suspicious behavior. The potential for heightened criminal vulnerability was associated with significant ToM difficulties (and verbal ability) regardless of autism diagnostic status, although such difficulties were more prevalent in the autistic sample. The finding that pronounced ToM difficulties may heighten criminal vulnerability for both autistic and nonautistic individuals challenges the validity of a generalized \"autism\" legal defense based on assumed rather than measured ToM difficulties. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"217 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142325207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Inequality threat increases laypeople's, but not judges', acceptance of algorithmic decision making in court.","authors":"Jonas Ludwig,Paul-Michael Heineck,Marie-Theres Hess,Eleni Kremeti,Max Tauschhuber,Eric Hilgendorf,Roland Deutsch","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000577","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000577","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVEAlgorithmic decision making (ADM) takes on increasingly complex tasks in the criminal justice system. Whereas new developments in machine learning could help to improve the quality of judicial decisions, there are legal and ethical concerns that thwart the widespread use of algorithms. Against the backdrop of current efforts to promote the digitization of the German judicial system, this research investigates motivational factors (pragmatic motives, fairness concerns, and self-image-related considerations) that drive or impede the acceptance of ADM in court.HYPOTHESESWe tested two hypotheses: (1) Perceived threat of inequality in legal judgments increases ADM acceptance, and (2) experts (judges) are more skeptical toward technological innovation than novices (general population).METHODWe conducted a preregistered experiment with 298 participants from the German general population and 267 judges at regional courts in Bavaria to study how inequality threat (vs. control) relates to ADM acceptance in court, usage intentions, and attitudes.RESULTSIn partial support of the first prediction, inequality threat increased ADM acceptance, effect size d = 0.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) [0.01, 0.47], and usage intentions (d = 0.23, 95% CI [0.00, 0.46]) of laypeople. Unexpectedly, however, this was not the case for experts. Moreover, ADM attitudes remained unaffected by the experimental manipulation in both groups. As predicted, judges held more negative attitudes toward ADM than the general population (d = -0.71, 95% CI [-0.88, -0.54]). Exploratory analysis suggested that generalized attitudes emerged as the strongest predictor of judges' intentions to use ADM in their own court proceedings.CONCLUSIONSThese findings elucidate the motivational forces that drive algorithm aversion and acceptance in a criminal justice context and inform the ongoing debate about perceptions of fairness in human-computer interaction. Implications for judicial praxis and the regulation of ADM in the German legal framework are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"63 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-09-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142174608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Virginia Alford plea-takers experience harsher outcomes than traditional plea-takers.","authors":"Amy Dezember,Allison D Redlich","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000580","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000580","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVEAlford pleas allow defendants to profess innocence while simultaneously pleading guilty. In Study 1, we addressed two research questions: (1) Does the case processing length in Alford plea cases differ from traditional guilty plea cases? and (2) Do the sentencing outcomes (i.e., length of sentence, reduction in sentence, incarceration) in Alford plea cases differ from traditional guilty plea cases? In Study 2, we explored two research questions: (1) What is the process for offering, negotiating, and accepting Alford pleas? and (2) How does the strength of evidence compare in Alford plea cases versus traditional guilty plea cases?HYPOTHESESIn Study 1, we predicted that (a) Alford plea cases would take longer to dispose of than traditional guilty plea cases, and (b) Alford plea cases would receive more beneficial sentencing outcomes (e.g., shorter sentences, larger sentence reductions) than traditional guilty plea cases. The research questions in Study 2 were exploratory; thus, we did not have a priori hypotheses.METHODStudy 1 is a quantitative analysis of 18 years of Virginia court administrative data, and Study 2 is a qualitative analysis of interviews with Virginia judges, prosecutors, and defense attorneys.RESULTSIn Study 1, we found that Alford plea cases take longer to process and generally receive harsher, less favorable outcomes compared with traditional guilty pleas. In Study 2, we found that legal actors do not perceive evidence to be a driving factor in the context of Alford pleas and largely do not consider Alford pleas differently from traditional guilty pleas.CONCLUSIONSAdditional research would be beneficial to ensure that defendants are not punished simply for insisting on their innocence. Given that almost all convictions are the result of guilty pleas, some entered without admissions of guilt, increased scholarship on traditional and Alford pleas is essential. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"55 1","pages":"262-280"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142325210","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Interviewing and interrogation practices and beliefs, 20 years later: A national self-report survey of American police.","authors":"Laure Brimbal, Sean Patrick Roche, M Hunter Martaindale","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000570","DOIUrl":"10.1037/lhb0000570","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>This survey examined current law enforcement beliefs and practices about interviewing and interrogation to gauge whether they have evolved given the research and training developed over the past 20 years.</p><p><strong>Hypotheses: </strong>We hypothesized that police beliefs and practices would have evolved along with research findings over the past 20 years.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We surveyed 526 law enforcement officers about the practices and beliefs regarding interviewing and interrogation. We asked questions about officers' beliefs about rates of true and false confessions, time spent in the interrogation room, beliefs about their ability to detect deception, training experience, practices of recording interrogations, and their self-reported use of interrogation techniques.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Overall, when we compared our survey with Kassin et al.'s (2007) seminal survey, we found both similar results and evolving positive trends. The average interview was reportedly 1.6 hr, virtually no different from that in Kassin and colleagues' study. In addition, our sample reported that 26.2% of innocent suspects at least partially falsely confessed. Further, whereas Kassin and colleagues found that fewer than one in 10 interrogations were video recorded, we found that now more than half of interrogations are recorded in this way.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In a geographically diverse sample of U.S. law enforcement officers, we found significant positive trends toward knowledge and practices informed by research generated over the past decades on interviewing and interrogation. Although causality could not be determined, these findings indicate an evolution of the U.S. law enforcement mindset in a more science-based direction. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":" ","pages":"247-261"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141890498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dementia and competency to stand trial in the United States: A case law review.","authors":"Dana R Miller,Casey LaDuke","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000581","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000581","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVECompetency to stand trial (CST) is foundational to the U.S. criminal legal system. Dementia is increasingly prevalent in the United States, and older adults are becoming involved with the U.S. criminal legal system at unprecedented rates, which carries significant implications for legal professionals and clinicians involved in CST cases. Unfortunately, CST research to date has largely excluded considerations of dementia and aging. The present study addressed this gap by reviewing U.S. case law related to dementia and CST.HYPOTHESESThe present study had no hypotheses because of its descriptive nature.METHODThis was a case law review of 118 U.S. court cases involving dementia and CST from 2002 through 2022. Relevant information was coded about the legal case, defendant demographics, clinical evaluation(s), and court determination.RESULTSCompetency was mostly raised by the defense (81%). Similar percentages of defendants were involved in one, two, and three or more evaluations, mostly conducted by experts appointed by courts or retained by the defense. Trends for court determinations were based on the number of evaluations conducted and experts' (dis)agreement about diagnosis and CST recommendation. Ultimately, 45% of defendants were determined incompetent, with trends appearing for dementia diagnosis, cognitive deficits, index offense, and jurisdiction, but not age. Ability to assist was the most cited reason for determinations of incompetence, often in combination with both factual and rational understanding or one of these psycholegal abilities alone.CONCLUSIONSDementia and related impairments appear especially relevant to CST among older adults and carry important implications for clinicians, legal professionals, and policymakers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"120 1","pages":"315-328"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142325208","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Emotion regulation reduces victim blaming of vulnerable sex trafficking survivors.","authors":"Richard L Wiener,Samantha M Wiener,Rachel Haselow,Brooke McBride,Kayla Sircy","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000572","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000572","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVEThis research applied emotion regulation to negative emotions felt toward a sex trafficking victim so that judgments were made to offer her services rather than to favor her arrest for prostitution.HYPOTHESESWe predicted that participants would favor police not arresting a trafficking survivor for prostitution when she was vulnerable (Hypothesis 1) or she showed no sex work history (Hypothesis 2). We predicted a moderated mediation model (Hypothesis 3), in which emotion regulation training to reduce feelings of contempt, anger, and disgust (CAD) toward the survivor interacted with vulnerability and prior sex work such that the effects of the latter two manipulations were the strongest in the successful emotion regulation conditions (i.e., cognitive reappraisal and cognitive reappraisal with motivation), with CAD emotions mediating those relationships.METHODParticipants (N = 421, 54% women, Mage = 42.63 years, 75% White) read a modified version of a sex trafficking case and decided whether the police should arrest the survivor for prostitution. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of 16 conditions in a 4 (emotion regulation: control vs. cognitive reappraisal vs. motivation vs. cognitive reappraisal plus motivation) × 2 (vulnerability: vulnerable background vs. nonvulnerable background) × 2 (prior prostitution history: engaged in prostitution before the trafficking incident vs. not engaged in prostitution before the incident) factorial design.RESULTSParticipants with cognitive reappraisal training, but not controls, who read about a vulnerable survivor were less likely to favor arrest. Moreover, those who trained with cognitive reappraisal plus motivation to decrease their CAD emotions, compared with the controls, showed weaker CAD feelings toward the vulnerable survivor, which in turn predicted a lower probability of favoring arrest.CONCLUSIONSReducing CAD emotions through emotion regulation supported the impact of emotions on culpability judgments and showed how emotion regulation can be used to support a victim-centered approach to fighting sex trafficking. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"13 1","pages":"281-298"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142325212","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Improving graduate education in legal psychology: Early career psychologists' recommendations on diversity, debt, and applying legal psychology in the real world.","authors":"Jason A Cantone,Apryl A Alexander,Erika N Fountain,Jennifer L Woolard,Lora M Levett","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000573","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000573","url":null,"abstract":"OBJECTIVEThis article reviews how training programs and professional organizations can work together to better prepare legal psychology graduate students and early career professionals (ECPs) for their first postgraduate careers.METHODIn 2019, the American Psychology-Law Society released a report exploring the unique needs of ECPs in the field of legal psychology. The surveyed ECPs overwhelmingly highlighted the importance of grappling with rising student debt, the critical need to diversify our field and better prepare students for jobs outside academia, and a desire for more policy and real-world experience. Much work remains to better support our ECPs. This article reviews the relevant literature and the 2019 survey findings to provide legal psychology graduate training programs and professional organizations with 12 recommendations to better address ECPs' stated needs and prepare students for their transition to postgraduate life.RESULTSFirst, we describe how graduate programs and organizations can successfully diversify legal psychology by not only expanding membership but also creating an inclusive community in which members can thrive. Next, we outline how to best support students' financial needs by providing financial education early and advocating for expanded financial support. Finally, we discuss the importance of preparing students for a variety of careers to ensure greater student success and expand the impact of legal psychology. Specifically, graduate training and professional development should reflect the vast career opportunities throughout academia, clinical practice, industry, advocacy, and government.CONCLUSIONTogether, these recommendations encourage graduate programs and organizations such as the American Psychology-Law Society to augment their support of graduate students and ECPs navigating an ever-changing career landscape. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"24 1","pages":"299-314"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142325209","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The role of truth in victim-offender mediation: Victims of crime who feel they know the \"whole\" truth are more receptive to apologies.","authors":"Blake Quinney, Michael Wenzel, Lydia Woodyatt","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000564","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000564","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>We conducted three preregistered studies to examine whether victims of crime are more receptive to apologies in victim-offender mediation if they feel they know the \"whole\" truth about a crime.</p><p><strong>Hypotheses: </strong>We predicted that making salient the completeness (vs. incompleteness) of knowledge about a crime would lead victims to (a) have a greater sense of truth knowing and (b) view an apology more favorably.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>Participants in Study 1 (N = 380; Mage = 41.2 years; 51% men; 78% White) and Study 2 (N = 550; Mage = 41.0 years; 65% women; 72% White) imagined being the victim of cybercrime. Participants in Study 3 (N = 670; Mage = 42.7 years; 52% men; 72% White) were real crime victims. Participants imagined taking part in victim-offender mediation during which the offender apologized, and then they evaluated the apology after answering questions that made salient what they either knew or did not know about the crime (complete knowledge salience vs. incomplete knowledge salience). Participants in Study 2 received additional information about the crime from either the offender or the police to test whether truth source acts as a moderator.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants in the complete (vs. incomplete) knowledge salience condition reported greater truth knowing (Study 1 d = 1.40, Study 2 d = 1.26, Study 3 d = 0.58), readiness for an apology (Study 1 d = 0.25; Study 2 d = 0.23; Study 3 d = 0.09, nonsignificant), perceived completeness of an apology (Study 1 d = 0.26, Study 2 d = 0.31, Study 3 d = 0.19), and acceptance of an apology (Study 1 d = 0.22; Study 2 d = 0.21; Study 3 d = 0.10, nonsignificant). In Study 2, truth source moderated the effect only on apology acceptance (η2 = .009). Across the three studies, complete (vs. incomplete) knowledge salience was indirectly positively related to apology readiness, apology completeness, and apology acceptance (nonsignificant in Study 3), via truth knowing.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Instances of victim-offender mediation should ensure that victims' need for truth is satisfied because this may increase the effectiveness of apologies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"48 3","pages":"228-245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141471675","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Court-reported competence to proceed data across the United States.","authors":"Lauren E Kois, Haley Potts, Jennifer Cox, Patricia Zapf","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000565","DOIUrl":"10.1037/lhb0000565","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>Competence to proceed (CTP) is a constitutional protection intended to facilitate fairness and dignity of court proceedings. Researchers have estimated that between 60,000 and 94,000 defendants are evaluated for CTP each year. Yet no research has systematically identified the number of evaluations conducted each year, despite their critical role and many profound implications. We used large-scale, systematic data collection to address this knowledge gap.</p><p><strong>Hypotheses: </strong>Given the siloed nature of the judicial and forensic mental health systems, we anticipated incomplete data and that the number of evaluations would far exceed previous estimates.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>In September 2019, we used public information requests to solicit CTP evaluation order data from the judiciaries of 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons. We accepted evaluation proxies, such as evaluations ordered or evaluations filed, from the 2018/2019 calendar/fiscal year. We used Uniform Crime Reporting data to estimate a nationwide evaluation-to-arrest ratio and annual evaluation volume.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Twenty-five states provided data. We deemed data from 18 states acceptable while acknowledging that data likely underrepresented actual evaluation volume. By extrapolating data from these 18 states, we estimated a conservative national evaluation-to-arrest ratio of 0.015 (95% confidence interval [-0.007, 0.037]), which suggested that 15 evaluations are conducted per 1,000 arrests each year. Consequently, it seems likely that at least 140,000 evaluations are ordered each year nationwide, with several hundred people referred for evaluations each day.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Annual CTP evaluation volume likely far exceeds previous estimates. Transparent data are difficult, if not impossible, to obtain. As a result, researchers, legal and forensic mental health professionals, and policymakers lack the ability to implement informed, constitutionally protected CTP practices. Key implications, research directions, and detailed data infrastructure recommendations are provided. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"48 3","pages":"182-202"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141471671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"How the risk principle reduces recidivism: The impact of legislative revisions on the release and reoffense rates of individuals convicted of sexual offenses.","authors":"Martin Rettenberger, Reinhard Eher","doi":"10.1037/lhb0000560","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1037/lhb0000560","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>The present study examined the relationship between legislative revisions regarding sexual offenses and the release decisions and recidivism rates of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. In 2008, the Austrian government passed a package of revised criminal laws aiming to decrease incarceration rates. At the same time, connecting recidivism risk to professional risk management efforts was expected to increase public safety.</p><p><strong>Hypotheses: </strong>Given the strong empirical background of the implemented risk assessment and management efforts, we expected both an increase in the percentage of conditional release decisions and a decrease in recidivism rates.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>We analyzed the data of 2,610 male individuals convicted of sexual offenses who were released from the Austrian Prison System between 2001 and 2016 within a natural experiment using a prospective-longitudinal quasi-experimental study design.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The results indicated that the percentage of conditional releases of individuals convicted of sexual offenses increased substantially since 2008. Additionally, within the same period, the recidivism rates of individuals convicted of sexual offenses decreased further.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Even if both developmental processes are only correlational and a causal relationship cannot be examined, the present results supported the empirical evidence of the risk principle-at least if it is based on scientifically sound risk assessment and management methods. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).</p>","PeriodicalId":48230,"journal":{"name":"Law and Human Behavior","volume":"48 3","pages":"214-227"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141471672","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}