If Looks Could Kill: Do Characteristics of Female Offenders Influence Death Penalty Sentencing Decisions?

Abstract

Sentencing research suggests that offenders who are more physically attractive are more likely to experience leniency in verdict and sentencing. Additionally, there is evidence that other extralegal factors, such as race, influence public and juror opinions on criminality and the appropriate punishment of criminal defendants. Much research on attractiveness, however, has not focused on female offenders or does not explore death penalty opinions. Using a student sample and an online survey with factorial vignettes, this study seeks to examine the likelihood of endorsing the death penalty for a hypothetical female offender relative to her physical attractiveness and race. Results show that attractiveness of the offender did not affect the likelihood of the respondent selecting the death penalty. The race of the offender and victim did affect the likelihood of the respondent selecting the death sentence, with respondents less likely to select the death penalty for African American offenders than white offenders, more likely to select the death penalty in vignettes with African American victims than white victims.

Keywords:

• public opinion
• the death penalty
• attractiveness

Notes

1 The absolute highest score was 8.1 but after further examination, we determined that this female could be perceived to be mixed race, therefore, the image was excluded and the second highest scored African American (6.3) was used.

2 The age variable was skewed so for the purpose of multivariate analyses, we dichotomized it using the median value as a cutoff point.

3 Nonsignificant interactions are not presented in the paper but they are available upon request.

4 When statistically significant differences are referenced in the discussion of interactions, this means non-overlapping confidence intervals. This suggests statistically significant differences in the likelihood of selecting the death penalty for particular categories within the combined variables.

5 All four photos that were rated unattractive and attractive included at least one of the characteristics that may be perceived feminine: head tilt, the use of makeup, and jewelry.